Haunted
by multicoloured94
Summary: Joe needs a new pack. As she finds one in Scott McCall and his friends with Derek s help everything seems to be great. But then her past starts to haunt the witch and soon everyone in Beacon Hills is endangered. Because of her. And the sudden appearance of a specific guy with curly hair and blue eyes does not necessarily calm things down. Isaac x OC
1. Chapter 1: Shadow of the Past

Chapter 1

I am nervous. Hellishly nervous. The kind of nervousness you experience before the most important exam of your life. I stare at my reflection in the mirror, observe my blushed cheeks and the dark shades under my eyes. That will not serve for the best first impression. But the journey has been long. Very long and lonely. So I am allowed to look like shit.

I try to stand taller, tighten my shoulders and take a deep breath before I repeat my monologue once again. "Hey Der. I know we haven't seen each other for a while and that I´m not supposed to just show up like that but I really need your help. Please, don't be mad at me. What I did back then had been horrible and me going away necessary and the right decision. I changed for better, I swear. Will you help me?" I am looking at myself and decide that the speech is weak. The Derek I know will never accept it. So many things are left unsaid. But it must do for the start.

I sigh and turn away from the mirror at last. I pick out the used piece of paper with trembling fingers. His address is still readable. I get my stuff together. Only a suitcase and a backpack are left of my life. They have to do. Then I leave the small toilet of Beacon Hills train station and make my way out into the night.

It doesn't take me long to find his flat. The environment isn't very welcoming but that fits Derek so I assume to be at the right place. I turn to the high building on my right and search for the bell but there is none. Typical for him. He was always being a bit paranoid. What now? There is only one solution to the problem although I don't like it. I didn't want to use my powers. He won´t like being reminded of what I am capable of. But he doesn't leave me any choice.

I shrug, take the last steps to the heavy door and put my palms on the solid material. It only takes seconds. I feel the heat rising in my body, flowing into my hands and into the door. By now that's the easiest thing for me. The lock clicks and the door opens.

I enter the house, carefully now, hyper aware of my surroundings. I nearly stop breathing while my heart pounds very fast because I am so scared. The suitcase sounds too loud on the dark floor. He must have heard me by now with his wolf hearing. I take the steps, one by one. An eternity later I stop breathlessly in front of his flat.

I get my bravery together for a second and raise my hand. But he is faster. The door slides open before I can knock. And there he stands in the dim light staring at me while I stare at him and all the words leave my brain.

He hasn't really changed. He is still tall and strong and kind of intimidating. His brows are furrowed and his eyes look bewildered. He looks older than I remember. More attractive, I guess. But I haven't seen him in five years so that's probably just logical.

"Joe is that you?", he asks after a while because I am still not talking. I nod weakly. I had been thirteen back then so it is probably a shock for him to see me as a young woman. I don't know what I expected to happen. Maybe that he would scream at me, throw me out of his apartment, tell me to fuck off. But that doesn't occur. Instead he takes a step back and signifies for me to come in.

I am very surprised about this calm and kind gesture but I try to hide that. I follow him into the empty, cold flat and don't take my eyes away from him. He stops in front of his desk, leans against it and gives me a requesting look. I still don't really know what to say. Why did I even practice that stupid speech?

"I am so sorry for disturbing you, Derek. I know you are probably not very happy to see me", I start weakly. His gaze is fathomless. "You changed a lot", he states without commenting my words. "You look a lot like your mum now." I can´t help myself, I blush. Coming from him that's a big compliment, my mum has been said to be beautiful. I don't really find myself in her but others obviously do. "I am another person now", I add to make clear that not only my appearance has changed. "Why are you here?"

Now his gaze becomes intense and I know that he reads my heartbeat. Lying is no option but I didn't intend to do that anyway. "I need your help, Derek." "Why would you think that I want to help you?" "I know you don't want to", I admit quietly, looking away from him and onto the floor because I can´t cope with it anymore. "I know I don't deserve your help. I have hurt you a lot back then and I never apologized because I was a stupid little girl. But that's why I went away. I have learned to control it, I have learned to be a better version of myself. You know I am not lying. Cora knows that too, that's why she gave me your address."

Quiet. He keeps silent for a little while, considering what I just said. A sigh brushes his lips. "Why are you here?", he asks again. I look up, struggling with my emotions. "I couldn't stay in Germany. Many bad things happened. I tried to prevent them but I wasn't strong enough and I lost many people because of that. I tried to live alone for a while but I am not a loner. I need a pack. I need a pack that will accept me and that's strong enough to go through horrible stuff together. Cora said you have a pack like that in Beacon Hills."

"It´s not my pack", he counters. I swallow hard because I can see in his expression that he doesn't like the notion. "I know. Scott McCall is the alpha. But I need your help to talk to him." "That won´t be easy. They are very close, Joe, they love and protect each other and you are not necessarily the perfect candidate.", Derek reminds me with raised eyebrows. "I will be", I promise, nearly pleading now. "I have good powers now and with them I can protect them. Please, Derek, that's my last chance. You know I wouldn't come to you if I had any other choice."

He thinks about that for a minute although we both know that that is the very truth. I can practically hear his thoughts. How desperate do I have to be to ask something like that from him? What did I experience that brought me here? Could he trust me? Could he? The little girl that is a woman now and that made a horrible mistake such a long time ago?

"What if you get angry at someone of them?", he wants to know coldly. I shut my eyes for a moment. "It doesn't matter, I don't get angry like that anymore. I swear, Derek." "Even then, I won´t be here to see. I am leaving Beacon Hills, Joe. You can´t stay with me."

My mouth drops open. I didn't know that. I didn't expect it. That changes everything. "When will you leave?", I ask, because I know that I have no right to ask him why. He shrugs slightly but he can´t hide the slight sadness from me. "In a few weeks. The flat is already sold." I struggle to stomach that and get my stuff together again. "Then we still have a few weeks to find a solution", I state as calm as possible. My hands are sweaty and shaky but that doesn't matter, he already knows how beaten I am. He can smell it, see it, hear it. I am nearly naked in front of him, my soul laid bare, totally dependent of him.

The old Derek would have liked and used that. He would have taken revenge on me. But this Derek doesn't. He runs his fingers through his hair and says very serious: "I will see what I can do. But you have to understand something, Joe: Within all this chaos Scott and his pack try to have a normal life. If you are not ready to do that you are not welcome here." "I am ready to do anything. To go to school, to dumb parties, whatever it takes", I answer quickly. "Good, we will start with that tomorrow. Now go showering or to bed or something, you really need it."

I go around the corner where the bathrooms supposedly are. As soon as I am out of his view the smile breaks its way. I could cry of happiness. This was the new start I had wanted so much and I would do anything to make it work!


	2. Chapter 2: Scott's pack

Chapter 2

School…I didn´t go to school since two years. I tried to go in Germany but then everything got messed up and I didn't pass my classes. How did school work again? Is the social hierarchy the same as two years ago? What did people even wear to school? I have no idea of anything. And Derek isn't exactly helpful. "Why would I know what they wear? Just take anything and let´s go!" So I decide for boring, take on a jeans and one of the shirts I have left and pick up the backpack I bought yesterday. I am nervous again and I must admit that I begin to believe that I won´t ever feel normal again. Derek is shooting me angry looks in the car because I can´t sit still. I can sense that he is more than relieved when we arrive the parking lot of the school and he can get me out of his car. "And don't forget, Scott will approach you. Just try to be normal, all right", he tells me while he leans out of the window. I nod but in fact I have no idea how to be perfectly normal. There is no normal in my life. God, this is more challenging than I expected it to be.

I swallow down the doubts and turn around to face the school. It´s not very big and that's a good thing because that will make orientation much easier. On the other hand it´s a bad thing because I can´t hide behind masses of pupils. They will recognize the new one faster than I like. Now I remember why I hated school, the pressure is a fucking nightmare. Will they like me, will they hate me? Suddenly those things get highly important. Normally I really don't care about what people think of me. I guess that's over now.

I push out the breath loudly and force myself to approach the school. Just calm down, I tell myself. You can do it. I go through the To-Do list in my head. Getting my schedule, searching my locker, getting to class. Thankfully I find the secretary very fast and she hands me my locker number. 312. Easy to remember. Not so easy to find though, I need fifteen minutes for that and feel like a total idiot by now. I lean my head against the cold metal for a second. Man, I am supposed to be stronger than that, to have better nerves.

"Ehm…is everything all right with you? You are not gonna faint, are you?", a voice scares me out of my trance. I can´t help but jump. Then I blush as I look into the brown eyes of a boy. "Yes…yes. I am okay", I answer quickly. I can see that he tries to avoid laughing at me and I can´t blame him, it must have looked ludicrous. To master the task he turns away from me and opens the locker next to mine to get his books. "I think you haven't been my locker neighbour before. Are you new?", he asks on casually. Well, now I have to make a decision. I could ignore him and run away, which is the thing I really want to do because I am absolutely overstrained. Or I could talk to him which is probably the normal thing to do. "Ehm, yes, I am. Moved here a few days ago", I mumble shyly while I finally open my own locker. It is much easier to stare into the locker than look at the boy with the dark brown hair, eyes and that smirk on his lips that seems natural on him. Like he was born with it.

"Well, welcome to Beacon Hills then. I am Stiles by the way", he announces friendly. He holds out his hand and I shake it. What a weird name. "I am Joanne" "Nice to meet you, Joanne. Guess I´ll see you around." With that he goes and I allow myself to take a deep breath after he is out of sight. Wow, I had no idea how socially awkward I have become. Failing at my very first encounter! Great.

I nearly allow myself to pity me a little bit longer but then a bell rings and reminds me that I should really get to class. Fast.

My first lesson is history by Mister Yukimura. The room is nearly full when I arrive but I still manage to get a seat in the middle of the class. I pull out my books and arrange them perfectly accurate on my table, ignoring all the chatting and laughing around me. Fortunately the lesson starts right away and I don't have to look like the weird lonely girl for too long. Mister Yukimura seems nice and I even like him more because he doesn't mention me. The others notice me after a little while but I don't have to introduce myself and that's already a win. For the first time today I calm down a bit.

And that's the moment I feel his eyes on me. He sits next to me and scans me curiously. I recognize him immediately. Scott McCall. He looks exactly like Cora had described him. Tanned, black hair, uneven jawline and those puppy brown eyes. Even now, though he is wearing a serious expression, he seems nice. I can also feel the aura of authority that surrounds him, pulses around him. He definitely is a true alpha, Cora was right about that. And he knows me, no doubt. I still have Dereks words in my mind. He will approach me. I have to be patient, he will do that sooner or later. So I turn back to face Mister Yukimura again and do my best to concentrate on what he is explaining.

The hours until lunch are long. Not because it is so boring but because I have to think about what I should say to Scott over and over. He doesn't have biology or English with me, so I don't see him again. Only the locker boy with the weird name in both classes. He gives me a nice smile but that's all the social contact I get. Sometimes pupils stare at me. I can´t read their looks. Some of them seem to be just curious, others disparaging or admiring. I am not used to that so it´s really weird for me and it doesn't get better in the cafeteria. Everybody is staring as I stand in the queue to get my food although my appetite got lost on the way. The whole school must know about the new girl by now. I have already decided that I would skip eating and just hide in one of the closets as somebody taps on my shoulder. It´s Scott.

"Hey. You are Joanne, right?", he asks me. Heat begins to rise inside of me. "Ehm, yes. And you must be Scott." He gives me a reassuring smile and it actually works. Because it´s honest. "If you want to you can sit with us after you got your meal." The choice is mine. Another nice move from him. All I manage is to nod weakly.

His table is quite full. Three girls, Scott and three other boys. "Oh, hi locker boy", I spill, before I realize what I just said and blush once again. "I mean Stiles." "Ah, I kind of like locker boy", he answers with a wink. I don't know what to say to that so I just sit down next to Scott and stare at my burger. "Okay, so let me introduce the pack. You already know Stiles, apparently. Not very surprising. That are Malia, Kira and Lydia." I turn and nod at them. Three beautiful girls in very different ways. "That's Liam, the youngest member. And Mason. Well, he´s not really a part of the pack but he eats with us." One of the younger boys rolls his eyes and says: "Well, thanks mate." I try to smile convincingly and hide my anxiety. "Very nice to meet all of you. I am Joanne. But…just call me Joe, I guess." "So, what exactly are you, Joe?", Liam asks. Wow, that went fast. Right to the point. The others shoot irritated looks at him but I answer right away. Better to make it clear from the start. "I´m a witch."

All gazes jump back on me. Stiles mouth slightly opens. Not hard to realize that they have never heard of a witch before. Lydia gets herself under control first. "So, what exactly can you do?" "I don't know, many things. Lighting stuff up, taking pain away, reading thoughts if the person lets me, opening doors…stuff like that." "That is creepy and awesome at the same time", Stiles states. He earns a blow to the shoulder from Lydia for that but I actually have to smile. I hear that a lot.

"And…what are you guys?", I ask back shyly, not sure if I already have the right. Scott answers for them again. "Liam and me are werewolves, Malia is a were coyote, Lydia is a banshee, Kira a Kitsune and Stiles is…human." Oh wow, that is a weird pack. Interesting mix. At least I know what all those things are. "Ehm…that's quite fascinating. I have never met a pack like yours before." A proud smile brushes Scotts lips and makes him look even more likable. "Don't be that cheerful Scott, she just wants to say that we are a pile of oddballs and she is right", Stiles claims with another smirk. At first I want to clarify that I didn't but then the others began to laugh and I just fall in.


	3. Chapter 3: The perks of being a witch

Chapter 3

I am practically enthusiastic as I come back home. Well, my temporary home at least. Derek frowns as he sees me smile. "I guess that means it went well", he assumed. I grin brightly. "I think they like me." His surprise couldn't have been more offending. "Are you sure?" "Yes, I am!", I defend myself. "I am a lot better at being likeable than you, Derek!" I throw my backpack on the floor and make myself comfortable at the dinner table. "Oh, you got Chinese! Great choice", I say. He thinks about giving me a lecture for a second but then just shakes his head and sits down himself. I guess he came to the conclusion that I am a hopeless case. "Great, and what about the rest of our problem? Where will you stay? We only have until Sunday, Joe." "Do you always have to destroy the party?", I grumble between two spoons of Chinese noodles. He rolls his eyes. "Somebody has to play the grown up. So, do you have any propositions?" "Not yet, one step after the other. First I´ll go to that pack meeting on Friday and then I will think about a place to stay." Derek sighs but he doesn't say anything. It´s my problem, he will leave on Sunday anyway. I have to cope with it now. And that is good. He has done enough for me, much more than I deserve.

The time flies as soon as I am comfortable in school. I get to know the pack better with every day. Stiles the best because we meet often. And he is easy to be around. Sarcastic and nerdy, yes, but also funny and honest. And even I know after only one week that he and Scott would die for each other. Scott is different. Calm, nice, warm. The truest alpha I ever met, the whole pack trusts him. I also get to know that Malia and Stiles and Kira and Scott are dating. Malia is hard to read. She probably is as normal as I am. Kira is really cute and maybe the sweetest to me but from the beginning I feel most bound to Lydia out of all the girls. It´s not hard to discover that she´s a genius under all this perfection. And that she sometimes suffers with her gift. But at the same time she is strong and that impresses me the most. Yes, I like being around Lydia. On the other hand I don't see Liam that often because he is no senior. I like him because he sometimes seems like a helpless little puppy and I feel the need to protect him.

Friday comes very fast and Derek drives me to Scotts house. I had spent an eternity in the bathroom although there is no need for it, it´s just a small meeting with people I already know. Still I want to be the best version of myself I can.

"You don't have to be nervous, Joe. There isn´t even a catastrophe going on right now", Dereks reassures me half-heartedly. "Let´s hope it stays like that", I murmur. And then it´s time to get out of the car and into Scotts house. "So...eh...do I just call you to pick me up?" I feel like a thirteen year old child, it´s embarrassing. Derek knows that and he likes it. One of his rare smirks crosses his lips and he looks more than just amused. "Yep. Don't drink too much Coke!" "Haha, funny", I answer, turning my back on him demonstratively and walking towards Scotts front door. I can hear his laughter as he starts the engine and drives away. This situation really has to end.

I take a look around and examine my surroundings. Stiles jeep and Lydias car are already here, so I am probably a bit late. I hurry to knock, Scott opens the door for me only seconds later. He smiles at me, like most of the time. "Hey Joe! Guess we are complete now. Come on in." I return the smile and enter his small and cosy home. It´s warm in here and it has character. There are a few pictures of little Scott and his mum on the wall. He looked adorable and his mum is beautiful. "Nice house, Scott. Really not bad. Are you chewing on your toy in that photo?" I bend down to get a better look at it. Scott scratches his neck. "Ehm, yes." "You were obviously meant to become a wolf." "Well said, Joe", Stiles agrees, looking through the door. "But we should really start now, Lydia is getting impatient."

The rest of the pack has already gathered in the living room. Malia stretching on the sofa, Liam sitting on the floor with his back against it, Kira on the chair and Lydia pacing around the room. Stiles makes himself comfortable next to Malia and immediately grabs the chips. I don't really know where to go so I imitate Scott and just get down on the fluffy carpet.

"Great, we are all here now. What do we have to discuss, Scott?" "Why are you in such a hurry Lydia?", Stiles asks irritated, shoving another handful of chips into his mouth. Lydia gives him one of her killing looks. "There are some of us who have something to do on a Friday night." "Like what? A date?" He says it playfully but it is pretty plain that he is absolutely right. Lydias bored expression comes a little bit too late. "Not your business. Scott?" Everybody seems to be more than curious but none of them dares to drive the topic further. Not even Stiles. Scott clears his throat.

"Well, we don't really have much to talk about, it´s quite calm right now. Which I don't like at all, but whatever. The first thing we have to decide about is if we want to involve Joe in our pack, in our family." "Isn´t she already involved? We all like her, Derek wants us to take her, so what´s the fuss about?", Malia replies matter of factly as always and helps herself to some chips. Those two are really perfect for each other. "Technically, yes. But we haven´t considered the supernatural part yet. To be honest, Joe, we have no idea what you are capable of."

I sigh. He is right, they don't. I sometimes don't know myself because those witch powers always diver. And they are so hard to control, which took me many years. "I can´t really explain it. It depends on the situation. Like I said, I can read thoughts and plant pictures in somebodys head but the second thing I never do and the first only when someone wants me to. I can move objects without touching them and take away some pain. I guess those are brain things. But there are other things. Should I show you?" They look uncertain and I can blame them. Mind reading doesn't make you very popular. Scott and Kira exchange a meaningful look, then he says: "Why not?"

"Can you put out the lights and get me some candles? And water." Scott does, so minutes later we are all surrounded by pure darkness. I take a deep breath and extend my palms. I can do that much faster normally but it´s always better to start slow with people who have never seen it before. The heat starts again and I light the candles, one by one. Their faces light up softly in the glow of the flames. They look impressed but I am not finished yet. Next I turn towards the glass of water. I like that part the most, I guess water is my element. I let it swirl around in the glass, float out of it and around in the air. I think about ending it with splashing it in Stiles face but I decide against it. I only know them for a week. So I let it fall back into the glass. "That's only a taste, of course. But you get the idea of controlling the elements."

Scott turns the lights back on and now I can see the awe in their faces. "Creepy and awesome", Stiles repeats which makes me smile a little. "Only creepy when you use it in the wrong way. But I can promise you that I don't. Not worth the stress." "Her powers could be very helpful", Kira assumes strategically. "Better on our side", Liam agrees. I roll my eyes. As if I am that dangerous. I am not even sure I could win against a werewolf. Not against Scott apparently.

"So everybody agrees to take Joe into our pack?" All of them nod and I can´t believe my luck. It was much easier than I thought it would be. Probably because Derek had my back. But I never imagined that this pack consists of such great people. Now I am one of them.

"Great! I would really like to celebrate with you, Joe, but we gonna have to do that another time. And then we will do it properly. Was that all for today?", Lydia asks. "Suppose so. Chaos will come back soon enough", Scott predicted. Lydia only shrugs, hugs me tightly and then leaves for her mysterious date. We others are left behind. Damn it, how long has it been since I had been on my last date? My love life is non-existent since all my former relationships ended badly. But right now I am a little bit jealous of Lydia. I guess that's what is meant with being normal.

I don't have a lot of time to think about it though because Scott gets out a bottle of sparkling wine to celebrate my acceptance. The first alcohol since I arrived in America. How could I say no to that? After all I was allowed to drink everything back in Germany with eighteen.

I call Derek at 12 o´clock in a very good mood. Not only because of the alcohol but also because I have solved my little living arrangement problem tonight and am more than happy with the outcome. He arrives fifteen minutes later and waits for me in the car. I say goodbye to Kira and Scott, the only two that are left. Then I make my way up to the car…and pause in the middle of my movement.

My gaze flickers around and I frankly stare into the darkness. Did my ears trick me? There is nothing to see. Everything seems to be quiet now. Probably just a squirrel or something. I look back at Derek and he doesn't look concerned at all although his hearing is a lot better than mine. All he looks is impatient. So I turn away from that bush and get into the car.


	4. Chapter 4: Living arrangements

Chapter 4

The next day it is time to move. I don't really have much to pack so it doesn't take long for me to clear my room in Dereks flat. It´s a weird feeling to go because this room has been the first home for me since a long time. I take a last look at it before I close the door behind me.

Derek is pretty busy himself but he takes the time to drive me to my new home. We don't really talk in the car. Talking is not Dereks favourite thing anyway and I have no idea what to say. I am more than thankful, of course, but I have never been good at expressing my feelings. The words are flying around in my head, they are nearly physically touchable but I don't say them. I just hope he knows. And maybe we will see each other again and then I might be ready to tell him. Hopefully.

We arrive at Scotts house and I get nervous again. I know that Derek can feel it but what does it matter now? He gets out of the car with me, even helps with my sparse luggage. I can hear Scotts front door opening and I know that it´s time to say goodbye. I am still struggling for the right words. "I…I wish you all the best, Derek. I will never forget what you have…", I begin but he interrupts me. "It´s okay, Joe. Really. Don't screw it up." "I won´t", I promise him quietly. And there he gives me one of his rare smiles before he climbs back into the car and drives away. I stare at the spot where the car vanished.

"Hey, I will help you with that", Scotts soft voice says right beside me. He makes me turn around and his kind expression is all I need to get my spirits raised. "Thank you. For everything", I say and am slightly surprised that it is so easy to say thank you when it is him. "Ah, no problem. I started to feel a bit lonely in that house", he answers with a smirk before he grabs my luggage and carries it into the house as if it was not heavy at all. Classic werewolve stuff.

I follow him in a slow pace because there is still something to settle before I can make myself comfortable in their guest room and I must admit that I am scared of it. I am not good with grown ups and parents, probably because I lost mine so early and had to manage my life on myself. I have no idea what a typical teenager would be around his parents. And I don't have time to figure it out because we already reached the front door and I can see Scotts mum in the hall now.

She smiles at me just as her son does sometimes. And it seems to be an honest smile which is great and reassuring but doesn't change the fact that my palms get sweaty and my heartbeat treacherously fast. I do my best to master a nice smile myself and shake her hand. If she notices the sweat on mine she can hide her disgust very well. "Nice to meet you, Joe", she says warmly. I swallow hard. Come on, Joe, don't be such a baby! "You too, Mrs. McCall. I am so sorry that I burst in your home like that", I answer apologetically. "Ah, don't worry. I kind of missed a third person in here and it is nice to live with a woman for a change. It´s no problem at all, Joe." "I will try to be as inconspicuous as possible!", I promise her. "Are there any rules I have to follow?"

A small laugh escapes her lips and she shoots Scott a meaningful look. "Not one that this guy hasn't already broken. If you sometimes help with the dishes and laundry everything should be fine." "Of course" "Oh, and just call me Melissa, honey" Well, that also went a lot better than expected. It gives me a little sting that she is so different than my mother. My mother had been beautiful, yes, but at the same time vain and cold. Always expecting more from me. While those two, Melissa and Scott…you could practically feel the love they shared for each other. It was so confusing for me because I don't know it.

Scott leads me into my room and I really can´t complain. It´s not very big but everything I need is here. A desk, a wardrobe, a big bed. The walls are painted in a soft blue and the window points to the small garden. "It´s great, thank you so much!", I exclaim as Melissa appears in the door. I let myself sink at the soft bed and can´t really grab my emotions. I am not used to that amount of happiness. "I can still smell his scent", Scott tells his mother, sniffing in the air. I have no idea what he means but Melissa seems to get it. "I guess you will forever. But nobody else can" Scott answers that with a wide grin.

They give me my space after that and I take my time to unpack my few possessings. I definitely need to buy some new clothes but I will probably just ask Lydia to pick something for me. She will love that. I fall onto my new bed and decide to text her.

To Lydia:

Hey! Can we make an internet

Shopping session tomorrow?

I definitely need your help!

As usual her answer comes within seconds. Lydia and her phone are inseparable.

From Lydia:

Absolutely! I will make a list.

Are you already at Scotts?

To Lydia:

Yep. Oh and by the way:

How did the date go?

From Lydia:

Can´t complain. I´ll see you

Tomorrow at ten then!

At ten on a Sunday. God, she really is a working machine.

I throw my phone on the pillow and get up from the bed again. The sun is setting by now and a red glimmer fulfils the sky. I look out of the window to have a better look at that beautiful sight. It kind of looks supernatural too. How can you not believe in magic when you see something like that? I can´t take my eyes off it. The first dusk in a new house is something special, right? It´s the first time I feel wholly comfortable in Beacon Hills.

I stare out of the window for many minutes until I feel a tingling sensation. Automatically I turn my head to the right and stare into the bushes again. But they are not moving at all. Why do I feel so watched then? Like yesterday. Am I getting crazy? I frown and open the window, concentrating on the smells and noises floating into the room now. It´s a very quiet day and I am not able to sense anything odd. But the feeling doesn't go away. Goosebumps appear on my skin. Okay, I am definitely going crazy. I need to pull myself together and just relax! How ridiculous.

I shut the window with determination and turn around as Scott is knocking on my door. "Hey, everything all right? You kind of look…scared." "What? No, I am not…just a bit tired. Don't worry", I reply hurriedly while I get away from the window and make the attempt to look as normal as possible. It´s obviously not working because Scott still looks suspicious. But he doesn't push the matter any further. "Okay. We were about to order some pizza. Do you wanna join us?" "Uh, yes, of course. I will be there in a minute." He nods and leaves the room again.

I take a deep breath and turn around for the last ime. The garden is still empty. Nothing to worry about.


	5. Chapter 5: Party Preparations

Chapter 5

„You still wanna throw that party?", I ask Lydia while I take my books out of my locker. She leans next to me with her business face on. "Well, obviously yes. Once I threw the semester opening party every year. Time to bring that tradition back. It´s our senior year after all." "I am not good at parties" "Don't worry, you are not alone with that. Right, Stiles?" My locker buddy appears behind her and makes a funny face that only I can see. I really have to concentrate to keep myself from cracking. "I have no idea what you said but I am pretty sure it was offending." "Joe doesn't want to come to the party", Lydia changes the topic abruptly. Stiles looks at me with an open mouth and an exaggerated disappointed face. "What do you mean Joe doesn't wanna come? Of course she comes, she doesn't even have a choice! I will drag her out of that McCall mansion if she doesn't behave." "Yeah, right, because I couldn't take you on." "I would call Scott for help", he specifies his plan. "I never said that I didn't wanna come! I just said that I am not good at parties", I carry on to defend myself while I push my locker closed and make my way to History. Both of them follow me. "I will make you good", Lydia predicts. "I mean, seriously Joe, half of the guys here can´t take their eyes off you and you don't even consider having fun. We got to change that." Thereupon Stiles starts to look around wildly to observe his schoolmates. "Really? They can´t?" "Ugh, you are so blind, Stilinski!"

Their conversation made me blush. Like I said, I am not good at judging stares. But my long maroon hair often grabs attention. As do my green eyes. Maybe Lydia is right but that doesn't change the fact that they are only interested in the pretty small girl and not in my personality. "Calm down, Lydia. I will be there, okay? Just don't expect me to be a party animal", I warn her. She smiles satisfied. "That's all I wanted to hear. Oh, and you should really wear that black dress we ordered yesterday, it´s gonna look awesome on you! See you at lunch." And with that she grabs Stiles and wanders along the corridor to their class.

I sigh deeply before I get into the classroom and sit down on my table. Damn it, why did I tell Derek that I would go to dumb parties? I hadn't thought that through.

"Don't mind, Joe, nobody of us has a chance against Lydia", Scott tries to comfort me. He must have heard everything. God, there are no secrets around werewolves! "But she is right with one thing: They are really staring at you." "Great", I mumble sarcastically. "Only because they have no idea what a weirdo I am."

By lunch time the whole school speaks about the big party. I have no idea how Lydia does that. It must be her own kind of magic. And everybody seems to be invited. People come over to her while we are eating, asking her questions about dress code and other party stuff I have never even heard of. Lydia is eager to answer all of them. It´s obvious that she wants that party to be perfect. Like she wants nearly everything to be perfect. I almost regret that I said I would come. So many people! But I can´t disappoint her now and I am not sure if Stiles hasn't been serious about the dragging out of the house thing. He is capricious.

"God, that's the third time Craig! What the hell is wrong with you?!", Stiles exclaims as a boy with blond hair and freckles comes over to us once again. He blushes hard and takes flight immediately. I kind of get the feeling that he has something for Lydia. They are really getting out of their mind already and I am under the impression that it won´t get better until Friday.

And that's why Kira and I decide to hide in the library for the rest of the week to avoid all the turbulences. Scott sometimes joins us when Stiles lets him. It doesn't bother me to hang just with them because they are not one of those horrible couples that make out all the time. He also rushes in this Friday morning and he doesn't look very happy.

"Hey, what´s going on?", I ask as he sits down next to Kira and hides his face in his hands with a pitiful sigh. His girlfriend begins to pat his back. "Stiles and Lydia are fighting over drinks again. And they always expect from me to solve their problems! I am not their babysitter!" He really looks desperate but I have to grin anyways. "And that's why it sucks to be the leader. You only have to endure it for another few hours. Everything will be fine tomorrow." "I don't know if I can. I might kill them beforehand", Scott moans. "Can´t you just control their minds and make them shut up?" "I don't think they would let me", I answer apologetically.

"How does it work anyway?", Kira asks me, quietly now, so the other few pupils in here can´t overhear our conversation. She leans in on me and it´s not hard to discover the curious look in her eyes. "What do you mean exactly?" "Well…could you like control her mind over there just like that?" She points towards a girl three tables over who is totally engulfed in her book and doesn't mind us at all. I shake my head while I observe her. "No, not just like that. I would have to touch her and ask for her consent, of course." "Why?" I turn back to them and am very serious now. This is not necessarily a topic to joke about, I have learned that years ago.

"Imagine someone just directs everything you do, goes through every thought and memory you ever had. Plants fake ones there. Isn´t that the most horrible thing you can think of? No, reading someone´s mind is the most intimate thing you can do. And you only do that when your counterpart asks you to and it´s really important", I explain to her. Scott and Kira both listen very carefully and I know why: They want to understand how I function. It is always like that. "Okay…so…when somebody of the pack would ask you to go through his or her memories to solve a problem you would just need to touch them and could do it?", Scott interrogates further. "Probably. But it takes a lot of energy and is not very comfortable to do", I say.

He leans back, obviously thinking about what I said. He has to know what I am capable of because he is the alpha, I get that. I have awaited this conversation and there are many that will follow. But not now. One supernatural thing after the other.


	6. Chapter 6: Party Killer

Chapter 6

I follow all of Lydias tips. I take on the black dress, I apply subtle eye make-up and red lipstick and I curl my hair. Halfway through that process Scott throws me out of the bathroom because it took an eternity and I have to carry on in my room. But he kind of makes that up again with his reaction as I present myself ready for the party. His mouth falls open for a moment and he looks stunned. "Wow, Joe, you look amazing!", he tells me while I climb down the stairs. I smile nervously. "Not overdressed? You know how Lydia can be." "No, not at all, I think it´s perfect. Actually I always wanted to have a pretty sister that I could protect from all those asshole boys out there", he grins. I laugh and punch him in the shoulder. "You are an idiot! Come on now, we are coming too late."

Stiles is already waiting outside in his jeep and he is also impressed. It flatters me but it´s also kind of weird because this is way out of my comfort zone. I am more than relieved when we reach Lydias already quite full house and I am not the only girl anymore. "My advise was spot on!", Lydia states as she examines me. "Yes, but I really need a drink to survive the night with those shoes!" It only takes her a few seconds to get me a cup of some cocktail and to raise her own. The rest of the pack does too so I just imitate them. "To a great night and an awesome senior year!" We all clink cups and drink a mouthful. The stuff actually tastes well and a warm feeling captures me as I look into the round of my new friends. Despite all the stress of the last week everybody is genuinely smiling now and I feel undeniably happy.

The house gets fuller and fuller within the minutes and it´s a good thing that it´s so big in the first place because the whole school must be here. The music is turned louder and the alcohol flows. I am still nipping on my first cup as the others already run to the dance floor. It´s quite amusing to observe Stiles dancing. Lydia stays behind with me and we sit down on a couch with a perfect view of the pool outside. Nobody is swimming yet.

"Not as bad as you thought, right?", Lydia asks me over the music. She is very satisfied with the way things are going and for the first time since days she allows herself to relax. I grin at her. "Not at all. I never thought it would be that funny to see them dancing. Although I must admit that Malia is rocking it! What about your date, will he come?" Lydia just smiles mysteriously. I get it, it must be kind of nice to have at least some secrets from the pack. "Probably not, but who knows? Maybe later. Until that I can fully concentrate on matching you with some cute bloke." "Uh, that should be difficult. I don't really have a certain type", I admit as I observe the guys in the room. How do you know what you like and don´t like? I haven't thought about things like that in a very long time.

"Then let´s find your type. I´ll get us some shots and we will work on that!", she announces and trails off to do exactly that. And Lydia always keeps her promises. After another half hour I feel quite tipsy and laugh a lot more than I should. And that's when he comes over.

He is quite attractive and looks a little bit shy which is kind of cute. Tall, dark hair, brown eyes and a nice smile. Lydia recognizes him immediately. "Hey Thomas! What´s up?" Thomas shoots her a short look but his concentration is definitely focused on me. Normally I would totally blush right now but the alcohol helps. "Hey Lydia. Can I borrow your friend for a bit?" Lydia smirks. "Ask herself." "Ehm…yes, of course, why not", I answer before I can really think about it. Thomas smiles brightly and as Lydia left he lets himself sink in her former spot.

"I have seen you in school a couple of times. You are Joe, right?", he asks. I nod. "How do you know Lydia?" "We have some classes together. And she always watches the lacrosse games. I am a part of the team", he explains with a hint of proudness. I raise my eyebrows. "Lacrosse? That's actually the sport you are doing over here?" He laughs at my bewildered expression. "Yes, it´s a lot better than it sounds. Why, what do people play where you are coming from?" "Soccer", I answer. "I lived in Germany for a few years." "Really? What made you come back?" I think about that for a moment. I obviously can´t answer honestly. There is nothing supernatural about Thomas, I am sure of that. So I only say: "Don't know, I guess I needed a change."

It is easy to talk to Thomas. Until he asks me if I want to dance. "Oh…I don't know, I can´t dance" But he doesn't take that for an answer. "I am sure that's not true. Come on, we will just hide behind Stiles so nobody will notice anything." And I have to laugh again. God, I didn't giggle that much the whole last year. How can anybody say no to that plus the little pleading puppy look he masters? I am not able to. So I take his extended hand and let me lead to the dancefloor by him. On the way I catch Lydias gaze. She winks at me which clearly says: "Go for it."

He keeps his promise and stops behind Stiles. It´s a fast song so we don't really touch each other a lot. He just spins me around a couple of times which always makes me laugh and giddy. My dancing skills definitely don't reach Malia´s but it could be a lot worse. I can´t believe that I am actually having fun and I must admit that Thomas´muscles under the dark blue t-shirt aren't too bad either. After the third song I have to take a break though because I am out of breath.

"You need something to drink?", Thomas asks me like a true gentleman. I smile at him brightly. "That would be great. I am gonna wait at the couch." He nods and trails off to the bar while I make myself comfortable at my old spot again. As he comes back he brings me a cup of water and I couldn't be more thankful for that. Many boys would have brought more alcohol to make me an easy target but he just wants to make me feel well and that is really cute. "I must admit that you are impressing me", I tell him honestly. I would never say that sober but it seems like the right thing now. Thomas answers that with a bright grin. "I can only return that compliment. But then I already thought you were cute when I saw you…"

He doesn't end that sentence because in this moment all the power goes off. And with that I mean ALL of it. Suddenly it gets dark, the music stops and a creepy silence spreads in the room. I can´t see anything anymore. I only feel Thomas heated body next to me and hear his fast breathing. "What the hell is going on?", I ask. I am not really scared because I know I can make my own light if I want to but Thomas probably thinks I am because he finds my hand, takes it and squeezes it for a second. Further away I hear Stiles murmuring something really fast without understanding his exact words.

It takes another couple of heartbeats until the light finally goes back on. The crowd is irritated and some girls look a bit frightened but that's all. Lydia appears behind us. "Okay, that was really strange", she states, somewhat concerned. She is about to say something else but gets cut off by a loud scream.

All eyes turn towards the screamer at the same time. She stands next to the pool, her hands clapped over her mouth and her eyes wide. It takes me another little while to discover the reason for her panic.

The pool isn't empty anymore. A girl floats in the water, face down. It becomes absolutely quiet again while everybody looks at the creepy sight. She doesn't move. She doesn't do anything.

I jump up from the couch, let go of Thomas` hand and run towards the pool. Stiles is faster than me. He is already diving into the water as I arrive. He gasps and grabs her, pulls her to the edge. I help him as best as I can to pull her out. Adrenaline is pumping through my veins and my thoughts are razor sharp now. I put my finger on her throat. "No pulse", I say quietly to Stiles who is leaning over here, dripping on the tiles beneath them. Shock spreads in his face. But I need him concentrated now. "Stiles, you need to cover me", I say urgently. "What?" "Cover me, now! Act like you reanimate her or something!" By now girls begin to scream and chaos is breaking loose. Stiles shoots me another irritated look but he eventually decides to trust me and does as I told him. All eyes are on him now. Nobody notices me taking her hand in mine and closing my eyes. I let the power flow throw my veins next to the adrenaline and into her body. More and more.

It feels like an eternity but finally she breaths again and spills out the water from her lungs. Her eyes don't open, though.


	7. Chapter 7: Memories

Chapter 7

We sit in the hospital in silence. Hours passed without any news. I had done everything I could but I still don't know if it was enough. Obviously all the guests thought Stiles was responsible for the saving of that girl. I don't mind. I don't want the attention. I just hope that she is okay and none of us gets what happened. It can´t be a coincidence, right? First the power fail and then that accident. Had she taken drugs, drank too much, passed out and fell into the pool? Possible, yes, but I am not convinced. Something feels fishy about it and I don't like that.

Lydia is worried the most. Which is just natural, it was her house party. She is very pale and stares at the wall. Scott has his eyes closed but I am sure he doesn't sleep. And Stiles, who is sitting next to me, fiddles with his hands nervously. The others already went home in the knowledge that there is nothing they can do. I would love to sleep too because I am so tired but I know I can´t until I am certain that she made it.

I hold the cup of coffee and my cold hands without taking a sip. I hate waiting. I am so impatient and this is torture. How could a great party turn into something that awful? I want to scream at someone for that but in fact I don't know at whom because nobody is responsible for it.

Melissa comes to us in early morning. Scott´s eyes open immediately which backs my strategy that he didn't sleep at all. "She will be okay", is all she says because she knows that this is all we want to hear right now. A wave of relief goes through the group. Lydia sighs loudly and hides her face in her hands, Stiles puts an arm around her shoulder and comforts her. I am finally ready to put that stupid cup away and take a deep breath. "Well done, Joe. You saved a life today", Melissa tells me with a small smile. I can´t return it yet. "I´ll bring you guys home now. Come on."

My sleep is fretful. The girl visits my dreams over and over again. I throw myself around in my bed but it takes long until I finally fall into a dreamless state. As I open my eyes again I am not alone in my room anymore. I don't jump because I kind of awaited him. Scott sits in the armchair and lifts his head as he realizes that I am awake. His hair is messy and I am pretty sure he didn't sleep well either. "You know this is a bit creepy right?", I mumble with my sleepy voice. He doesn't answer which makes me sigh and sit up in the bed. He looks concerned. Very concerned. I can´t blame him. "I know what you want to ask me Scott, but I don't know if I can do it", I admit. "Why?" "Because she didn't ask me to do it or gave me her consent." "But you could, right? You could revisit her memories?", he pushes on. I think about lying for a moment but he´s my alpha and I have no right to do that. I have to say the truth although I don't like it. "I could do it. But that doesn't mean I am supposed to." "You saved her life", he reminds me. "And we both know something is going on. It is my duty to protect this pack and this city and therefore I need to get all the information! I need your help, Joe."

He gives me his pleading puppy look and to be honest it´s even better than Thomas´. Damn it! "How would we even get near here?" "Mum will help us. She will understand." With another sigh I sink back into my pillows. He knows he has won. He doesn't smile but he doesn't look as grim as before. "We will do it tonight. As an exception! I already hate myself for saying yes." He is faster with me than I can protest and hugs me tightly. I let him. It´s actually nice to have some comfort today. "You are the best, Joe. Thank you so much!"

He tells the whole pack but we don't need all of them for our plan. Lydia stays at home. As do Malia and Liam because it´s a full moon night. No wolves except for Scott who apparently learned to control himself long ago. Stiles drives us. We don't talk much or joke around because nobody feels like it. Everybody is still tired and tensed and scared of what I might find. Great.

Visitor time is already over and the hospital quite empty by now. Melissa waits for us at the reception. Nobody tries to throw us out with her on our side. "They are still in the room. They don't leave her. I will distract them but I can only guarantee you a few minutes. Is that enough?" She looks at me questioning. "Not perfect but it will do", I answer honestly. "Okay, let´s go up then."

We get into the elevator, the girl whose name I still don't know lies on the third floor. As we get out Kira stays at the elevator. She will watch out here. The rest of us stays behind while Melissa enters the room. The curtains are closed so we can´t see anything. Which also means that nobody will see us either. It takes Melissa a few minutes to convince her parents, then they leave the room with serious expressions and go away into the other direction. As soon as they are out of sight we act.

We hurry into the room and Stiles takes position at the door to make sure that nobody will disturb us. I lean over the blond girl. She is sleeping, which is good, because that means her guard is down. Scott stands on the other side of the bed and observes what I am doing. "Did you know her name is Stacy?", I ask him before I place my fingers carefully at her temple. Her name is written on the machines. "No" "Me neither. Okay, let´s start. You are not allowed to intervene, no matter what happens, understood?" That question went to Stiles and Scott. I wait until they both agreed. After that I start.

I close my eyes, direct all my powers towards her and do my best to connect with her. It´s not easy to get in someones´ head. Our brain is complex, memories and thoughts like growing branches that are never standing still. Good thing she is asleep otherwise it would have taken a lot more time.

At first I see glimpses of her life. Of things that are important to her and hence very present in her mind. But I am not supposed to see those things. They are private and it is supposed to stay like that. So I don't dig into them but direct her thoughts with a soft push towards the incident from yesterday. The memory is still fresh and comes back quickly as I call for it. I comes nearer, becomes clearer and climbs out of the fog. And I dive into it.

Stacy is standing somewhere alone in Lydias garden. She can hear the party and the noises but all of it seems far away from her. A dull feeling catches hold of her and she can´t think properly anymore.

"You want to leave, don't you?", whispers a voice. It´s soft and seductive. A man´s voice. But where is he? Stacy looks around but she can´t find a body to that voice. "Who are you?", she asks. Weak and scared. A new wave of dullness suddenly washes over here and all the emotions are gone. She is not herself anymore. "You hate that party and yourself. You hate it so much you want to drown. Right here, right now. As soon as the lights go back on nobody can stop you." The voice gets louder, infiltrates her mind. What it says makes absolute sense to her. Yes, she wants to drown. She will do whatever he tells her to do. She isn't scared anymore.

I gasp and tumble back out of the memory. My heart is racing and I am sweating like hell. Stacy is still asleep but Stiles and Scott look very alarmed. Right so, this is a nightmare! I have never seen something like this.

"Guys, we are screwed."


	8. Chapter 8: Homecoming

Chapter 8

We arrange another pack meeting the next day. They gather in Scotts living room once again but the mood is totally different today. I explain them what I saw the best I can and they all come to the same conclusion and questions. Liam speaks the first: "What the hell can somebody convince to attempt suicide?" "Who or whatever he is, he must be very strong", I answer. "It only took him a few seconds to persuade her. "

We fall silent. What is there to say anyway? We have absolutely no clues what we are up against. No facts whatsoever. The only thing we know is that something is going on. "Do you think it has something to do with us?", Kira questions. Nobody has an answer for that. Although I believe it has. It happened at Lydias party, the connection to us seems obvious. The real question is: Has it something to do with the whole pack or just with the newest member? If this is about me I have no idea why. I didn't know Stacy and I have never met someone who is capable of doing something like that.

"What should we do, Scott?", Stiles asks. Scott doesn't look at anyone but on the floor. I am pretty sure he is thinking about it since yesterday. And that he´s pissed that he can´t find a better solution than: "We need to keep our eyes open and hope that it was a onetime thing." Nobody is satisfied with that but there is nothing we can do. I sink back into the couch and kill the ceiling with my looks. I hate doing nothing. Doing nothing is like poison for an impatient person.

We are all ready to plunge into our depressing self-pitying as somebody knocks at the living room door. Scott doesn't even look up but says: "Yeah, mum, you can come in" Somewhat hesitantly the door opens. I am the only one who looks at it and nearly jump.

A boy appears in the door. Well, more like a young man, really. He is tall and athletic. His light brown hair is curly and his eyes of a dazzling blue. He looks nervous and that only gets worse as he takes in the full room. "Ehm, Scott, I am pretty sure this is not your mum", I say dumbfounded. Finally they turn around and look at him and all of them freeze. I have no idea why because I am sure that I have never seen that boy before. They have, apparently. They stare at him in bewilderment. Nobody moves and I mean to see a soft blush creeping into the cheeks of that guy.

Scott finds his voice first. "My God, Isaac! What the hell are you doing here?" And with that he jumps up and hugs him. The others follow on his heels and excited chatting starts. I hold Stiles back and ask: "Ehm, who exactly is that?" He leans down to me and whispers: "Isaac Lahey. Turned into a werewolf by Derek, was being an asshole and then a little less, joined Scotts pack after that and left for Europe after…someone died." "Good to know", is all I can say.

Said Isaac is obviously not able to cope with that amount of attention because he hurries to free himself of it and answers quickly: "I don't know, I just thought it was time to come back." Then his eyes fall upon me and he furrows his brow. "Who is that?" Scott hurries to introduce me. "That's Joe. She is a member of the pack now." Isaac eyes me up with a smirk. "She doesn't look like a werewolf." "That's because she is none. She´s a witch." The smirk gets bigger. Okay, now I get what Stiles meant with asshole. "Like Hermione?" I roll my eyes and fold my arms. How creative. "Yes, exactly like Hermione. I just forgot my wand in my room", I reply sarcastically which makes Stiles laugh.

"You know what, guys? We should give them some space, we are finished anyways. Nice to have you back, Isaac", Lydia says, pats the tall guy on the shoulder and signifies the others to leave. They do, some more voluntary than others, and with others I mean Stiles. Isaac looks irritated because I stay back. "I thought Kira is your girlfriend?", he asks Scott. "I am not his girlfriend, dumbass, I am living here", I counter before Scott has the chance to say anything.

"Oh", he answers taken aback. "That is inconvenient." It takes me a moment to get it but I do in the end. His scent. In the room. Of course. "Don't worry, man, Mum won´t have a problem with you staying here. You just have to take the couch for now", Scott tells him. "No, of course, that´s more than I can ask for", Isaac says, sitting down in the armchair. "I am so sorry Scott, I know I should´ve called."

Okay, that is definitely getting private and I begin to feel like an intruder. It would be very interesting to hear the whole conversation but weird at the same time so I decide to leave. Both of them examine me as I get up quickly. "You know what, I will go for a jog. I need to get my head free", I announce before I practically storm out of the living room to my room. But I don´t miss Isaacs next words: "What does Hermione mean with getting her head free? What happened?"

I run. And run. And run. It is surprising how sportive I can be when I want to turn off my thoughts. I get to know sides of Beacon Hills I have never seen before but I don't really notice them. It´s like something is haunting me and I try hard to get away from it although I know that I can´t. Not really. But it works for now.

Before I turn around to run back home I enter the supermarket and buy loads of stuff for baking. I always bake when I am nervous and frightened. It calms my nerves and the chocolate helps too. Everybody in the supermarket is staring at me because I am totally sweaty but I ignore them. They know nothing, they don't know anything about my situation so why should I care?

As I arrive back home I seem to be alone. I throw the ingredients into the kitchen and take a long and hot shower. Afterwards I take on my bathrobe and curl up in my bed. Fatigue is washing over me and sleep finds me within seconds, although it´s still afternoon.

When I wake up the sun is already down. I take a look at the alarm clock and moan. Eleven p.m. I have slept through the whole day and now I am not tired anymore. I fight with two possibilities: staying in bed or baking. At the end I decide for baking.

The ingredients are still lying in the kitchen, next to some Chinese noodle boxes. They probably tried to wake me for dinner but I must have slept deeply. Which is okay because I don't feel hungry. By now the funny feeling in my stomach is back.

I think about baking a cake for a moment but then I decide for muffins. I know how to make them by heart so it doesn't take long to mix the ingredients. I add some chocolate chips and bananas into the dough. And I get company as I shove them into the oven.

"Joe, are you okay?", Scott asks me softly, leaning in the doorframe. He looks genuinely concerned in his pyjamas and with muffled hair. I shrug. "Yes…I mean no…No I guess I am not", I reply because he can sense the lie anyway. I sigh and let myself sink onto the kitchen floor while I observe the growing dough in the oven. Scott sits down next to me. "Do you wanna talk about it?" That's the point, I don't know if I want to because I am used to solving my problems on my own. But I must admit that his company is soothing.

"I am just really confused. It has been a crazy weekend", I mumble, frowning. "And what about this Isaac?" "I know what it must look like but that's just bad timing, believe me", Scott ensures me. "Isaac has nothing to do with it. He can be an idiot but usually he is pretty decent." "Okay and what if it has something to do with me?", I press on and look him right into the eyes for the first time today. He returns my look but his expression is unreadable. "Is there any reason for that?" "No, at least I don't know any but many things happened back in Germany and you never know. So what if it is me that gets you all into danger?"

It has been weighing on me the whole day. He must have felt it. And I am scared what he might say next but his reaction astounds me. He doesn't get angry or anything but smiles at me lightly. "So what? Then we will go through it together. Because that´s what we do. We protect each other." I can´t do anything but hide my face against his shoulder while he holds me for a bit. I am overwhelmed and confused but I am also relieved.

"I think they are ready", I say after another five minutes and rise to take the muffins out of the oven. Scott stares at them eagerly. "Ehm, Joe, they look really delicious and that smell is killing me!" It´s unbelievable but he actually makes me laugh. I pick one of the muffins and throw it at him. He catches it without problems. "Here, hungry wolf. I don't want for you to starve."


	9. Chapter 9: Lacrosse Crash Course

Chapter 9

Everything is weird at school the next day. Lydia is in the centre of attention as we enter and I am impressed how she handles it. She doesn't even take notice of them but stares straight forward and only shrugs. "Not the first time", she answers my questioning look. I guess that's settled then. I stay at my locker while she wanders off to her own and I let her because it´s pretty obvious that she doesn't need help. Like I said, she is a very strong person. At the same time I suppose Stiles isn't that good with the attention for purposely saving Stacy´s life because my locker buddy is nowhere to be found.

I take out the books off my locker and examine the still very empty and kind of sad space as somebody else comes over to me. Isaac. He is smirking at me again and chews on one of my muffins. "Hey Hermione. Well, I must admit that those are pretty delicious", he tells me while taking another bite and leaning at Stiles locker. I roll my eyes. "And what made you believe those were meant for you?", I ask him, shutting mine loudly. "Nothing but they smelt irresistible" "Good for you. I need to get to my class now", I say cooly, turn around and walk away. Bad thing he is so much taller than me, it is a piece of cake for him to follow. "I know, History, right? Exactly where I need to go." I could have asked him a million questions. Why the hell does he already have a schedule? What makes him believe I want his company? Is it so hard to call me with my real name? But I don't.

"Joe! Wait for a sec!", another voice calls after us. I sigh and turn around. It´s Thomas. God, I totally forgot about him to be honest. He catches up with us and stares at Isaac with a confused expression as he recognizes him. "Lahey? What are you doing here?", he asks, forgetting about me for a moment. "Going to school", Isaac replies simply. Thomas already opens his mouth to counter something but then he eventually decides against it and turns his attention back to me. "Whatever, I just thought that it was a shame we didn't get to talk again after…that thing happened", he tells me. "Here, I will just give you my phone number and then you can write…whenever you want to." He gives me a piece of paper and I take it. Why not? Isaac observes the situation, clearly amused, but I ignore him. "Thanks, Thomas, I will", I promise him with more confidence than I actually have. He smiles brightly. "Great! Oh, and if you want to you could also come to lacrosse training today? Our first game is on Thursday and you got to understand the rules until that." Maybe I shouldn't have reacted that enthusiastic after all. "Ehm, yes, I´ll see what I can do", I reply vaguely. Thomas nods eagerly. Then he shoots another cool look towards Isaac. "Are you gonna play again, Lahey?" "If Coach lets me", Isaac answers with a shrug. Thomas doesn't seem too happy with that but he smiles at me anyway as he takes leave.

"So you and Dixon?", Isaac asks me with a bright grin. He gets one of my killing gazes. "None of your business." I slip into the classroom, Isaac, chuckling, right behind me.

I fight with myself the whole day. Should I go or not? On the one hand Thomas is really cute and stuff but my head is kind of full with other problems right now. In the end it´s Lydia who persuades me because she offers me her company. Malia also joins because she promised Stiles to watch and with those two it seems a lot less weird to watch those boys run around some field.

So we sit on the bleachers after school and wait for the training to start. Coach doesn't mind us so I guess it´s okay. I am kind of excited because I have never seen anybody play lacrosse before. "So, today you will receive something that I call the lacrosse crash course for dummies", Lydia announces as I get down between her and Malia. Malia rolls her eyes towards me and I return it with a smirk. "Okay, maybe you could start with explaining me how I am supposed to recognize the guys", I reply as the team finally runs out on the field. They all wear red jerseys and helmets that hide their faces. "Look at the numbers", Lydia advises. "Scott´s eleven, he is captain. Liam is nine, Stiles 24 and Kira fifteen. Oh and Isaac is there too, see? Number fourteen. I guess Coach wants him back." Lydia points every single one out for me. I frown as I observe Kiras fragile figure. "Why does she play that freaky game of violence?" "She is really good and fast, you´ll see", Lydia waves off.

I carry on with examining the rest of the team. "Which number does Thomas wear?", I ask. Lydia and Malia both share a grin. "Number 4" I find him immediately. At the same moment he turns towards me and even under the black helmet his smile is visible. He doesn't wave, though. Guess that wouldn't be cool enough. Stiles seemingly doesn't share that opinion. He waves at us eagerly as he discovers us before Coach yells something at him. Malia sighs. "What a goofball."

Afterwards they finally start to play. It´s fast and brutal. Lydia struggles to explain all the rules to me while the guys and Kira practice running and shooting and…punching each other? I just can´t really follow and ask stupid questions the whole time. Lydia gives up halfway through the training session and says with a sigh: "Just remember that they have to make goals and the team with more goals wins the game." Good, I am capable of doing that. That I can compare to soccer.

In my opinion they are all playing pretty good. Well, Stiles probably not as good as the rest but his performance seems solid to me. I even start to enjoy watching the fast paced game until Scott crashes into Liam and they both collapse onto the floor. I can´t withhold a shocked shriek. Whereas Lydia and Malia don't even blink. "Don't worry, that was a normal foul", Malia says. "Look, they are already getting up again." They do but that doesn't change the fact that I am worried from now on.

The next foul happens to Isaac and it´s pretty fascinating because Stiles actually accomplishes to rip Isaacs jersey in the incident. "What the hell, Stiles?", Isaac yells out and takes his helmet off. He examines the unrepairable damage and shakes his sweaty curls in disbelief. "Sorry, man", Stiles apologizes but he can´t stop laughing while doing so. "Stilinski, you will pay for that!", Coach yells at him. "Now get into the locker room and change into something else, Lahey."

Isaac stomps off the field but not without taking off the destroyed shirt first. I must admit that I am impressed. He really is athletic and with that I mean muscular. Lydia gives me a clap on the shoulder. "And there I thought you can´t stand him", she chuckles. I grin and shrug. "I can´t but that doesn't mean that I am not allowed to enjoy the view."

Coach ends the session ten minutes later. The team breaths hard and high fives each other. Thomas` priority is to come over. "Hey!", he greets me. Now I finally can see his face, red from the effort. "Did you like it?" "Well, I didn't really get it but it´s not as bad as I thought it would be." "Will you watch the game on Thursday then?" His puppy eyes melt right into my heart and make me smile automatically. "I guess I will. But only if you win", I warn him. He laughs. "How could we not with that kind of motivation? See you there!"

He waves again and walks off to the locker room. Only then I realize that Liam, Scott and Isaac all stand together on the field and stare at me with smirks on their faces. They must have heard everything. I glare at them for a second. "I will kill them sooner or later", I predict towards Lydia. "I will help you", she tells me with a wink.


	10. Chapter 10: The Bestiary

Chapter 10

I jog more regularly now. And with that I mean every day of the week. Sometimes Scott joins me. It helps a lot. I also think about texting Thomas but I don't know what to write so I don't. I´ll see him on the field on Thursday so it´s not that urgent anyway. Also Isaac and I start to get along a little bit better, probably because we have to live with each other which means family dinners and all those weird things. And he sometimes calls me with my right name. That's progress.

We don't talk about the party incident until Wednesday except for Melissa who keeps us informed on Stacys recovery. Stiles brings it on the table again. In school, at lunch. He sits down between Malia and me and puts his laptop onto the table with a determined expression. "Okay guys, I have decided that we can´t just sit around doing nothing. We have to do this old school style." The whole table groans and Lydia looks virtually pissed. "I hope that you are not talking about that bestiary!", she says warningly. "Of course I am talking about the bestiary! At least we should search for…I don't know…invisible homicidal mind controlling bastards."

He opens some file on his laptop and I lean over to get a better look. "Wow, that's impressive!", I say. "I mean, we had a bestiary in Germany too but this number of pages is extraordinary!" "Exactly!", Lydia agrees. "And that's why it´s a bad idea. I don't wanna read through all of that on my own once again!" "Lydia it´s not my fault that you are the only one who can read Latin around here, alright? I will keep you company and look at the pictures", Stiles says, waving his hands awkwardly around as he sometimes does.

Latin. I open my mouth for a sec, then I close it again. Those are a lot of pages! At the same time it´s maybe my fault that we have to do this in the first place. I can´t let Lydia do this alone.

"Actually she is not the only one who can read Latin", I sigh. They all turn towards me. The surprise isn't very flattering. "Hey, I lived in Germany after all!" "And Latin is kind of a witch language", Isaac adds with a nod. Stiles cuts us off before we can start to bicker. "Great, we can research in a trio then! Can you come over this evening, Joe?" "Why aren't you asking me too?", Lydia complains. "Because I count on you, Lyd, but Joe is still new. So?" "I don't know…can I borrow your motorbike?", I ask Scott. I secretly hope he will say no and spare me a night full of boring texts but Stiles doesn't give him a chance. "Of course he will! So that's settled. I will organize pizza."

There is no way to talk myself out of this. So I only drive home after school to take on something more comfortable because I am pretty sure that this is gonna get long and unnerving. As I go down into the living room to get Scotts keys I encounter Melissa and Isaac who are discussing living arrangements. Again. "I already organised a bed, we just have to get the stuff out of there and maybe paint the walls", Melissa tells him. "Are you sure you don't need the office?", Isaac asks like the millionth time. Melissa smiles. "I haven't used it since forever. Where are you going, Joe?" She looks up as I pick up the keys from the table. "To Stiles. He thinks he can solve our little mind controlling problem with reading. Could get late", I explain with a hint of grumpiness. Satisfyingly for me, Melissa actually looks like she´s sorry for me. "Okay…I hope you will have a little bit fun nevertheless." "Thank you. See you later." I am already out of the door as Isaac calls after me: "Drive safely." "Thanks for reminding me, Lahey", I answer sarcastically.

I am the last of us three who arrives at Stiles house and his father opens the door as I knock. "You´re Joanne, right? The…what exactly are you again?" "The witch", I answer with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Sheriff Stilinski." We shake hands and he lets me in, shows me to Stiles room. My mouth drops open as I take my first look into his room. "Yes…I am so sorry, Joe. If you feel the need to punch him I allow you to do so", Sheriff Stilinski apologizes for his son. The room is a mess of printed bestiary pages. Many printed bestiary pages. Lydia sits on the floor in the middle of them and already looks desperate. Stiles glares at his Dad. "Yeah, really funny, Dad. You can go now."

"Okay, is there any order to this chaos?", I ask Stiles as soon as we are alone. "Absolutely. Over there, at the desk, that's your pile. We will arrange them in four other piles. Absolutely not possible, not likely but possible, more likely and possible and very suspicious." "You could´nt have made it more complicated", I sigh while I get down where he showed me too. Damn, that pile is awfully huge. "What are you doing while we read?" "I will research some files I got from my dad. Maybe that girl wasn't the first victim of mind controlling in Beacon Hills." "That's actually not a bad idea", I admit surprised. "Well, thank you." "He´s usually the one of us who figures out stuff", Lydia explains, her eyes fixed on the paper in front of her. "Yeah…I´ll write that on my list", I mumble before I help myself to the first text. The great language of Latin. No wonder everybody hates it.

Many of the papers are out of the game after the first sentences. The Absolutely not possible pile grows and grows. The only distraction is the pizza Stiles orders after an hour, a brief visit from Malia who disappears quickly after she sees the work and a text from Scott.

From Scott:

Any progress?

To Scott:

If you mean with making me crazy,

Then yes. But with the invisible homicidal

Mind controlling bastard: no.

"I am pretty sure many of those beasts are already distinct", I break the busy silence as I put away an article about the Minotaur. "Maybe we are doing this the wrong way", Lydia mumbles, frowning. I turn around to her and raise my eyebrows. "What do you mean?" "Like you said, some of those creatures don't exist anymore. Some have changed over the years. What if this one has too? What if we don't find a creature like him in here because he has evolved?" Stiles and I exchange a look. "You mean like transformation?", Stiles asks. "Exactly. He could've found a way to build up some powers he thought more helpful than others. It happens all the time in evolution."

My hand sinks down. "That makes perfectly sense, Lydia, but it doesn't necessarily make the task at hand easier." She looks around the room with empty eyes. "Right. But maybe it helps us to understand him better." "How?" "Well it´s like when you are in a relationship and it fails because you just drift apart because of your character", Lydia starts. "And you try to change yourself because you want it to work again. But you can´t. It´s nearly impossible to transform what makes you you." "And you think it´s the same with those powers?", I press on. "I guess. If he made it, and he obviously has, it must have taken him a lot of will power. A very good reason to do it. And practice. A lot of practice on chosen victims."

"I am already looking through the files, Lydia", Stiles reminds her unnerved. "And I haven't found anything yet except for obviously very crazy people." "But what makes you think that he practiced in Beacon Hills?", Lydia wonders. "Joe came from Germany. Isaac came back from France. This little town isn't the only place in the world where freaky supernatural stuff happens."

Stiles falls silent as it dims on him. I sigh and lean back. Evolving. It could be nearly every creature then and he could´ve practiced in every town imaginable. "What do we do now?", I mumble, closing my eyes for a second and resting my head against Stiles bed because fatigue washes over me. "Scotts dad", Stiles says suddenly. "Scott has a dad?", I ask confused. "Yes, he´s with the FBI. Maybe he can help us to get those files, at least within a certain radius in America", Stiles suggests.

Lydia nods slowly and gets up. "Great plan. So we forget about the bestiary?" "For now", Stiles admits. "I´ll call Scott." He climbs out of his bed full of files to phone him in the bathroom. Lydia and I stay back. I stand up for the first time in hours and stretch my body before I go over to the board on the other side of the room. A brainstorming board. It´s depressingly empty. "Lydia?", I mutter. "Mh?" "Do you think we can find him before something bad happens?" She stays quiet for a moment. Then she says: "Do you want me to be honest? Because my banshee feeling tells me we won´t"


	11. Chapter 11: Unexpected

Chapter 11

„So…it could be technically everyone?", Isaac asks me. We are sitting in Chemistry next to each other while we are actually supposed to do a project. It´s the perfect cover up because the rest of the class is busy with mixing ingredients and chatting excitingly. They don't notice us talking. And as soon as our teacher turns around to us I make sure to act totally concentrated. "Yes, it could be", I whisper back. "And for the record, Lahey, that's not really calming my nerves." He takes a look around the class room, examines every single one of our fellow pupils before he passes me a liquid that I add to our mixture. "It won´t be one of them", he states. I furrow my brows. "Why are you so sure." "Oh, we already had that. With a pupil and a teacher. Can´t happen a third time, can it?" I shake my head in disbelief. "You are so crazy over here and you don't even realize it."

I look up the next step, add something else and just hope it won´t explode in the end. Normally I really like Chemistry but I am thoroughly distracted right now by that freaky evolution dude and Isaacs perfume that I can only smell because he leans closer to me for the conversation. "You smell nervous", Isaac tells me bluntly. I feel caught but I try to stay cool. "Because I am since last weekend. Every single day", I answer gravely. I scrabble down a note about the colour of the liquid and avoid eye contact. However, I can still feel his eyes on me. "I thought you are some kind of badass witch?", he whispers. "I am. I could kick your butt easily but his? Maybe not that much." In this moment the bell rings and cuts off our little dialogue.

Isaac gets up and packs his stuff, then he gives me another one of his smiles. "You know what? Actually you look kind of cute when you are nervous. I´ll see you at the game?" I roll my eyes. "Gotta cheer for Thomas, right?" "I´ll act as if it is for me." "You are an idiot, Lahey!", I call after him half-heartedly but he already left the classroom. Well, he will have heard it nevertheless.

Lydia and Malia are already waiting for me as I arrive at the field. It´s surprisingly full and loud. So people around here actually are excited about that sport. Crazy town. Only thing that´s missing are the cheerleaders.

"He is staring at you again", Lydia tells me as soon as I sit down. I follow her eyes and discover that she means Thomas. I give him a thumbs up and he smiles in return before he puts on his helmet. "When are you gonna get this PG 16?", Lydia asks me drily which makes Malia chuckle. "When we are not threatened?" "Good luck with that. He maybe doesn't want to wait that long." "You are really cheering me up, Lydia! Can we just concentrate on the game now?" She lifts her hands defensively. "Whatever you want. I wonder how Isaac got a new jersey that fast, though." "It´s an old one. Melissa only sewed the number on it", I explain. Lydia tilts her head to the side and looks at me quizzically. "God, it must be so weird to live with those two!"

The game starts and I see a proper lacrosse match for the first time in my life. I still don't get it but I cheer them on when I feel like it´s appropriate. Scott is on fire today. He shoots three goals within the first ten minutes and the crowd is freaking. That also earns him the first foul but he gets up faster than I can get worried thanks to his supernatural healing abilities. Isaac pats him on the back and they carry on.

We are leading as the referee whistles for halftime. The boys and Kira get off the field, put their helmets off and catch their breaths while Coach constantly talks at them. I have no idea how they are able to play a second half because they all look pretty exhausted to me but they do it nevertheless. And things are heating up now. The other team gets angrier by the second as our lead grows bigger with goals from Isaac and Liam. And with angrier I mean more brutal.

One of them finally exaggerates and runs into Isaac full speed. A hush goes over the audience and I hold my breath as he goes down hard. And he doesn't get up as Scott did before but moans breathlessly as he holds his side. "Uh…looks like he broke something", Malia suspects with a frown. She is right because Isaac makes a weird movement that I can only explain with him trying to get the bone in the correct place before it grows back together. I hiss and have to look away. "That's horrible!" "Coach is taking him out", Lydia tells me because I am not looking anymore. "Isaac looks pale but he can walk." I peek through my fingers to make sure she´s telling the truth. He actually is walking and he is cursing as he sits down on the bench and grabs a water bottle so he can´t be that bad. My hand sinks back into my lap. "Seriously, Malia, how can you watch Stiles play that game? He is only human after all", I ask. Malia shrugs. "He is not good enough to earn the anger of his opponents. And I would kill everyone who hurts him like that." I am tempted to believe that she means that.

All together I am pretty relieved as the game ends. We stand up and cheer and clap. All their fouls didn't make a difference, we win anyway. The team gets together to celebrate and we watch them for a while until the crowd starts to leave and they begin to make their way to the locker room. I simply gotta ask Isaac if he is okay as he passes us. He is smirking which is already answer enough. "I have survived worse" He winks before Liam pulls him away. We are still waiting and I am thankful for the others that they do so without asking me questions. They get it. Thomas is still on the field and he comes over just now as the bleachers are nearly empty. I climb down to him.

"You kept your promise", I state with a smile. He looks kinda hot, sweaty and beaming and all. "Always do. Can we talk again after I showered?" "Yes, of course. I will drive with Stiles anyway" "Great, awesome. We´ll meet at the carpark?" I nod and that makes him beam even more. He is faster at the locker room than I thought possible after a whole lacrosse game.

"Seriously, Joe, that guy is so into you. What are you waiting for?", Lydia asks me once again as she and Malia join me. "Not sure. I am not good with these things", I mumble defensively. We are the last ones leaving the bleachers, the only thing that keeps us company are the floodlight and the night noises. I don't really think about it until Lydia suddenly stops dead.

"Lyd, what´s going on?", I ask. Then I notice the look on her face. "Oh no. Lydia?" She doesn't look at me. Actually she doesn't look at anything. "Someone is dying", she says, turns around and runs back to the bleachers. Malia and I are taken aback for a second before we hurry up to follow her. I nearly can´t see her anymore because she has reached the far end of the field where it´s almost totally dark. She stares at something lying to her feet.

It´s a body. A scream threats to escape my lips but I hold it back at the last second. I stare at the girl and I can´t believe it, I don't want to believe it. She lies there, eyes wide open and staring into nothingness. A pool of blood forms around her, caused by a bleeding wound in her stomach. The knife still sticks in it and her hands are wrapped around the handle. She must´ve done it herself. As everybody else had been busy with celebrating the victory of the game.

We are so horror-struck that we just stand there and stare at her. "Can´t you do anything?", Lydia asks me. Her eyes are full of tears. Mine are not. I feel absolutely numb. I shake my head. Slowly and regretting. "It´s too late."


	12. Chapter 12: Suicide mission

Chapter 12

Sheriff Stilinski sighs deeply as he looks at us. Malia, Lydia and I are sitting in front of his desk. He interviewed us but we weren't very helpful. Because we have no idea what exactly happened. "See, I have no other choice. I have to write this down as suicide", he tells us unhappily. "Which means no one will officially look for a murderer", I conclude. "Damn it." I lean back in my chair and run my fingers through my hair for the millionth time tonight. I can´t get that picture of her body out of my head anymore. Of that blood. Who the hell can do something like that? What makes someone turn into such a monster?

"Not officially, but Mr. McCall will send you those files and Parrish and I will do everything we can to help you", the sheriff promises. All of that seems like a weak comfort to me. She killed herself right in front of us. That isn't only depressing but also a clear sign. He plainly wants to deliver a message. You can´t stop me. You can´t find me. I am better than you. And I tend to agree.

Parrish´s knock on the door breaks through our layer of silence. Sheriff signifies him to enter. His expression is grave. "I finished the questioning of the parents." "How are they?", I ask desperately. "Not well", he answers honestly. "They are devastated. And they have no idea why Megan did it. They say she was a happy and open girl." "And they are right", Lydia says. She is not sad and numb like me. Her eyes are sparkling. She is angry. "If we find that guy I won´t hesitate." With that she leaves the room without looking back. Sheriff Stilinski raises his eyebrows. "What´s going on with her?" "I think she is mad at herself because she wasn't able to predict Megan`s death in time", Malia explains. "Maybe I should talk to her", I mumble and prepare to get up but Parrish waves me off. "No, I´ll do that. You guys should go home now."

I throw myself around in my bed, desperately searching for sleep but it won´t come. It´s like I am living in a constant nightmare, always coming too late to save the girl. In the end I give up and decide to go get some tea. Maybe that can calm me down. It helped back in the days when my father was still alive.

It takes me about five minutes to figure out where Melissa keeps the tea in the kitchen. Another one to realize that I hear noises from the living room. So I am not the only one with sleeping problems.

I open the door carefully. Isaac looks up at me from the sofa. The TV is on and he is obviously watching some old movie. "Can I join?", I ask. "Yes, of course." He makes some space at the couch and I snuggle down in it, sipping at my tea and feeling like a ten year old girl again. What I would give to ask my father for advice right now. He always knew what to say.

"What are we watching?", I ask to distract myself. "No idea. Some black and white thriller probably. I am still figuring it out." We watch in silence for about ten minutes. I finish my tea and I wait for the rest to settle in but it doesn't. I look at the TV but I don't really see it. I am about to talk to Isaac again just to do anything as I realize that he has fallen asleep. It´s interesting how young he looks when he sleeps. His lips are a tiny little bit opened and his whole body relaxed while he breathes deep and slowly. It´s a peaceful sight. I envy him.

I sigh and turn towards the TV again. Being next to a sleeping Isaac is better than being alone. I really try to follow the movie and as that doesn't pay out I carry on with observing Isaac and counting his breathing. It sooths me a bit.

It´s about three in the morning as my phone rings. "What the…", I mutter under my breath before I pull it out. Lydia's name is written on the display. I check on Isaac's sleeping status before I stand up very carefully and as quiet as possible and walk out into the hallway. "Lydia? Is everything okay?", I ask anxiously. "Yes…yes, don't worry", she whispers back. "I just couldn't sleep and there I had this weird idea…do you know banshees from Germany, Joe?" Her question surprises me. "Uh, yes. I met some. Why?" "We are kind of connected to the world of the dead, right?" "I guess. What are you trying to tell me?" "Maybe we could extend my powers a bit and find out what happened to the girl. But I need your help", she says.

"Lydia, I can´t quite follow. What is your plan?" "We will drive to the crime scene and I will try to contact Megan's dead soul. I know it sounds crazy but if you lend me some of your power I could make it", she pleas. "I don't know, Lydia. I have never done something like that before. Did you talk to Scott about it?" "Not yet but I will text everybody, he is with Kira. Stiles will drive us." "Let me guess: You are already on the way." "Ehm…maybe?" I sigh. "Great. I will be out in five. But for the record: I am not sure this is a good idea!" "Got it. Thank you, Joe" And she hangs up.

I shake my head and lean myself against the wall. I consider waking Isaac for a moment but I don't know if he would be all too happy about our plan so I don't. Instead I take on my jacket and walk out into the cold night air, waiting for Stiles' jeep to arrive.

"It´s creepy", I mutter as we walk towards the spot where we found the girl only a few hours ago. It´s so dark that we need a torchlight to see something. Thank God Stiles thought about that. He and Lydia look very determined while I am not so sure about this. "Shouldn't we wait for the others?" "They can´t help anyway", Lydia simply answers. BynNow I am able to make out the bloodstains in the grass. The police roped it in and I really don't need to see it again, therefore we stop a couple of metres away from it.

"What now?", I ask my strawberryblond friend. She stretches out her palms. "Take my hands." "You know how to do this?" "No, but I will find a way. Come on" I hesitate shortly before I give in and let her take my hands. She looks at me with an forbidden amount of dignity before she closes her eyes. I do the same.

"I will send you the power now. Don't be startled", I whisper. She squeezes her hands to tell me that she understood. The energy rushes through my body in my fingers and over to her. I control the constant stream. She is not a witch which suggests that I have to be careful. Also I can feel Lydia´s trembling.

My heart beats fast and time passes. Then the pictures suddenly appear and Lydia and I share the foggy vision.

The crowd is cheering while Megan stands right on the spot where she died. Her eyes are empty. "I gotta kill myself", she mutters. "Yes, you have to", agrees the soft voice that gives me goose pump. Again he is nowhere to be seen. "But you will wait until the game ended. You will wait until the field got empty. And then you will stab yourself with that sweet little blade" Said weapon appears out of nothingness and lands at her feet. Sweet and little aren't necessarily the words I would´ve used to describe it. It´s long and sharp and looks absolutely deadly. For a second fear appears in Megan's face but it´s gone as fast as it came. She bends down and picks up the knife. "The last minute is running. Don't disappoint me, Megan", the voice whispers and fades away slowly. I recognize the excited cheering. The game is over. But Megan's not coming back from her trance.

Lydia and I break apart. We both gasp and stare at each other. "Why did you cut the connection?", I ask confused. She shakes her head, eyes wide open. "I didn't." "I did", Stiles says cooly. His eyes are focused on something behind us. I turn around just to see the approaching wall of flames in time. It comes rushing towards us in high speed. I act on instinct, throw my hands around with a scream and send another wall against it. They collide, crackle and light up for a moment and disappear into thin air.

There is no time to celebrate. "Duck!", I scream at my friends and they obey. Laughter sounds around us. Crazy laughter. "You can´t stop me, Joe! I will break you into pieces!", the voice announces dangerously. I don't concentrate on his words. Only on the sound and the direction. He´s on my right.

I spin to this side and send a force field. It only causes him to laugh louder and louder. "You are not strong enough to fight me!" I breathe hard, try to find him or anything that reveals him, scanning every inch of my surrounding. Where is he? The air around me starts to feel weird until it rips on my clothes. My skin starts to tingle. I turn around to find Stiles and Lydia crouched on the floor. Their faces tell me that they feel it too…it´s like the air charges itself…

I tear my eyes open as I realize what is about to happen and jump. I pull both of them into a hug and channel the last bit of energy I have left. And unload it with another desperate scream right as the lightning starts. It hits my shield hard and a deafening shrieking sound echoes through the night. I hold it up until I feel as though my lungs are ripped out of my body. I can´t breathe anymore. I fall to the side, absolutely exhausted, hearing someone calling my name from very far away.

I gasp for air, desperately because I am so sure that I am suffocating, my eyes fill with tears. My subconciousness realizes that someone lifts up my body in his arms and holds it still. As I open my eyes I look directly into dazzling blues. They are worried. They are Isaac's. "What the hell did you do?!", someone else yells from behind. Scott. Stiles answers drily: "Well, Joe just saved our asses."


	13. Chapter 13: My pack

Chapter 13

My head is aching as I wake up. Like really bad. I groan and turn around. A glass of water stands on my nightstand. Whoever put it there is a hero. I grasp it eagerly and gulp the cool liquid down in one sip. Afterwards I lean back and take a deep breath.

Everything comes back with brutal force. Every word he said. I don't really know how I ended up in my bed, I must´ve fainted after all. Drained of all my powers. They are slowly coming back now but it takes time. Time to heal physically and I don't even wanna think about emotionally.

"Joe? Are you awake?", Melissas voice mutters from behind the door. "Yes", I answer with a raspy voice. Great, even my throat hurts from all that screaming. Melissa takes that as a permission to come in. She observes me worriedly and hands me a cup of tea before she sits down next to me on the bed. I stare at the cup, not able to look her in the eyes. "Are you alright, honey?", she asks me softly. "Yeah…I´m not hurt", I mumble. She shakes her brown curls. "That's not what I meant." No, of course not. Stiles probably told Scott everything and he passed it on to his mum. The whole pack will know by now what he had said. It changes everything.

The realization hits me hard and I nearly can´t stop the tears. Melissa takes my hand into hers. "It´s my fault", I confess to her desperately. "Oh no, it´s not. You didn't kill that girl and you didn't create that monster. He created himself. Maybe you´ve made some mistakes but I am sure you didn't make one so big that it justifies his behaviour. You shouldn't punish yourself." "He wouldn't be here without me." "But he would be wherever you are. I personally prefer some place where there is a pack to handle this. And you have already saved a life, Joe! Don´t forget that. You can take him on", she ensures me severely.

I can´t hold back the tears anymore. They run down my cheeks uncontrollably now. Melissa presses her lips together. "I am supposed to tell you to come to Stiles' place as soon as you are up. But you should take your time. I will drive you when you are ready." I nod thankfully and am glad that she leaves me alone again because that means I can really cry to myself for a moment. Just for a few moments I allow myself to be weak. To despair and pity myself.

And then I get up to make myself ready to meet my pack.

I am not fit yet and not really able to walk on my own, therefore Stiles, who opened the door for me, helps me get into the living room. They are all there except for Liam who is probably still in school. Stiles helps me sit in the armchair. "Are you okay?", Scott asks, just like his mom but I am pretty sure his concern is directed towards my physical condition. I wave him off. "Yes, it just needs time to regain my powers. I will be on my feet by tomorrow. Eventually." My hoarse voice doesn't really convince them of my well-being I suppose but there must be something about me that stops them from deepening the topic.

"Soo…", Scott starts awkwardly, kneading his hands. "Stiles and Lydia already told us what happened and what…what he said to you. What do you think about it?" "What everybody thinks. He is clearly here because of me. Because he wants to take revenge on me", I reply and I sound much more calm and professional than I feel. "But for what?", Malia asks frowning. "I have absolutely no idea. And I also have no idea who he is. I don't know that voice or I can´t remember it." "But you know something", Lydia states, examining me, noticing more than the others, like usually. "I think I know what he is. The lightning, the wall of flames…he controls the elements. Like I do, only in a way I have never seen it before. Which makes him a warlock."

"And do you know any warlocks?", Stiles wants to know. They are more tensed now that I presented them a new lead. "There is a group. I´ve learned a lot of things from them. But I also met many others on my way." "But you haven't pissed one of them off?" I snort. "Pissed off? Obviously I have pissed off some of them. I wasn't exactly what you would call an easy teenager. But so much that it would cause someone to do this? I don't think so."

"Can you still like…give us a list with names? So we can find out if any of them are in America by now."

I nod. I thought about a couple of names on the way here. Isaac hands me a notebook and a pen and I write them down as clearly as possible with my trembling hands. "Good, I am gonna give them to my Dad", Stiles says before he looks up at me and the expression in his brown eyes changes. It takes me a second to name it. Affection. "Now come here." And with that he bends down and hugs me tightly. "I mean you freaking saved our lives!" I make a sound that's a mix of wincing and confused laughing. Pretty much describes the overall situation since I arrived in Beacon Hills.

A distraction of our current state follows on the next day and unfortunately I am too well by now to talk myself out of it. Also I kind of owe them for getting them all into life threatening danger, which is why I join Scott and Isaac in the totally chaotic and overfilled office that is supposed to become Isaacs new bedroom. The thing is: We don't even know how to start. All we do is standing there and staring at the mess.

"I remember why we never use this room", Scott mutters. "No kidding", I say under my breath. "Don't be like that, guys!", Melissa exhorts us. "I have already formed two areas. All the things to the right are garbage, all the things to the left need to be taken into the basement. Understood?" All three of us nod simultaneously although none of us looks very enthusiastic. "Great. Trash bags are in the kitchen. I´ll go to work now and I expect you to treat this house gently." "But we are allowed to destroy the old furniture with our claws, right?" Isaac turns around to her to demonstrate them. I realize that it´s the first time that I see him or any of them in werewolf mode. It´s kind of weird to observe his eyes change from the dazzling blue to this shining yellow. I like the blue ones better, although I would clearly never admit that. Meanwhile Melissa rolls her very human ones. "As if one supernatural teenager wasn't enough", she says to herself and leaves the room.

"Sooo…how do we start?", Scott asks. He and Isaac both seem to be more than helpless which leaves me as the boss. "Well, you guys get the heavy things into the basement and I try to get rid of this paper mess. Let´s go."

We work through the whole day and only stop to order some food. I would love to say that we didn't get into fights at all but that would be a total lie. At least we made it without major injuries. At some point in the evening Scott decides it had been enough for him for one day and leaves for Kira. What a traitor! We still need to build up the bed Melissa got from a friend and believe me when I say that I hate to assemble furniture! There is nothing worse than those vague instruction manuals.

"No,no,no!", I tell Isaac for the millionth time as he is about to attach another screw to the wrong place. "It says forth hole in here!" "But that doesn't make sense!", Isaac complains unnerved. He rips the paper out of my hand and makes me even angrier. "God, don't be such a baby and just believe me, could you?", I hiss back at him. "Only if you learn to read! See, it says second hole!" He puts the paper right under my nose and points at the text. I am already about to counter something rude and witty as I realize that he is right. Damn it. "You know, just do it on your own, then", I growl before I get up. He snorts patronisingly. "That is so typical for a woman." I turn around to glare at him and we have that stupid staring contest for a few moments. Then I eventually get how dumb this fight is and pick up the manual again. "Let´s just finish that before I kill you."

And an hour later the bed is finally standing. That was really exhausting! I lean myself against that newly build bedpost, Isaac does the same thing right next to me. "You owe me big for that, Lahey", I announce, ignoring about my thought beforehand because I had had no idea back then! Isaac keeps his eyes closed but a grin brushes his lips.


	14. Chapter 14: Psycho analytic

Chapter 14

„What the hell is that?", I murmur under my breath and rip the pink poster from my locker. "School dance next Saturday", Lydia explains while I am staring at the horribly romantic picture in disbelief. It shows a girl in a long flowing dress and a boy in a suit dancing between flowers and doves. Ugh. "I hate dancing." "However it´s man choice so you´ll probably get asked", Lydia warns me, snapping the poster out of my hand and throwing it in the bin. Now I can open my locker without any distraction at hand and shrug as if I totally don't care. "I am very good at saying no. Much better than I am at saying yes. I´ll get creative" Lydia examines me and folds her arms while I take out my books. She wears her detective business face. "What if Thomas asks you?" "I…I don't know, okay? Are you going?" "Of course I am going!" "With Parrish?"

She stops dead on our way to the classroom and stares at me. I grin brightly. "Come on, Lydia! Those looks you and him exchanged in the sheriff`s office? So obvious." "Why didn't you say anything?" "Because I thought you wouldn't want me to. And we got kind of distracted", I remind her. She bites her lower lip and nods slowly. "You are right. So now that we are honestly talking about this: What about Isaac?"

"What about me?", an all too familiar voice asks directly behind us and makes me jump. There he stands in his jeans and blue sweater and waits for an answer. Lydia is better than me in controlling her reactions. She doesn't look caught in an embarrassing conversation at all. "Nothing. I just wanted to know if you are still sleeping on the couch because we need that living room back sooner or later!" Isaac looks dumbfounded for a moment. "Ehm…no. Got my own room now." "Great! I gotta go now. Joe, can we meet in the library in our free period? I need to do a school project and I could need your help." I am taken aback by that sudden topic change but I agree to join her there. Satisfied she turns around gracefully and walks off.

I get into the classroom to sit down at my table and am utterly confused, to be honest. What did she mean with Isaac? That she detected some chemistry between the both of us like I have with her and Parrish? But that can´t be, right? Because there isn´t. I stare at his back head in front of me and try to convince myself of it.

Lydia waits for me in the library, apparently her favourite place in the world. Unfortunately I couldn't shake off Isaac who said he wanted to go through some files Scott's dad has sent us. That will only make her more suspicious of something that absolutely doesn't exist. I can see it in her eyes as she monitors the two of us walking in. At least Isaac doesn't sit down next to me but next to Lydia while I take place in front of her.

"Sooo…what do you need?", I ask her awkwardly. Isaac shoots me an irritated look because he can probably smell my embarrassment but he doesn't ask about it. "I need to do some research for social studies", Lydia explains. "So I am gonna ask you some questions and you need to answer honestly. Then I will write it down." "Like a poll?" "Exactly." "Okay. What is it about?" "The visual and characteristic preferences of teenage senior girls for their sex partners in a typical American Highschool." My mouth drops open and Isaac forgets to sort through the files for a second. "That's an actual topic?", he asks in disbelief. Lydia gives him the look. "Yes! I guess they think we are mature enough at eighteen to address questions like this one." "But…I am not sure if I am the right person for that, Lydia", I confess with hot red cheeks and a heartbeat that probably even Scott can hear although he isn't in the room with us. "I already asked Malia and Kira and I want to get as many different opinions as possible! It´s not that bad. Let´s just start, okay?"

It´s impossible to win an argument with Lydia Martin. You give in sooner or later because her will is unbendable. So after I give in five minutes later she reads out the first question for me: "What do you think is the appropriate age for girls to have their first time?" I swallow hard. "I…I am not sure. Sixteen, maybe?" She scribbles it down without commenting. "Okay. The average age for the first time in Gemany is between 16 and 17, by the way. Let´s come to your visual preferences. How tall should your partner be?" "Uh…taller than me? That shouldn't be very hard." "Eye colour?"

God, I have never ever thought about those kind of questions! I don't know what my type is or if I even have one. I don't even remember any celebrity crush that I could copy my answers from. "Maybe blue, I don't know", I answer out of my gut. "Hair colour?" "I absolutely don't care about that." "Should he be athletic, muscular?" I begin to sweat. This is absolutely horrible! I feel like I am in an interview or in an exam where I am not sure about any of the answers. "A bit, maybe. It doesn't really matter to me." "What´s the first thing you notice when you meet a man?" I try to remember my first meetings with them. All of them. Stiles, Scott, Liam, Thomas and Isaac. "Probably the eyes."

Lydia turns a page. "Are you ready for character?" "I am not sure I am ready for any more of this", I mumble which gains me a look from her that says: Don't be such a baby. "Where do you see yourself in a relationship: dominant, equal or subordinate?" "Seriously, who says subordinate?", I ask her irritated. "You would be surprised. So?" "Equal" Isaac coughs but it sounds a lot like a supressed ironic chuckle to me. "Name the three most important characteristics your partner should have." I hesitate and think about it. Lydia waits patiently. "Honest. Confident and caring." "Who is supposed to make the first step? Woman or man?" "The man." "Alright. I am gonna ask you some importance questions now and you answer with either very, a bit, not really and absolutely not", Lydia caries on. I only hope this will end soon!

"How important is fealty for you?" "Very." "Loyalty?" "Very." "Maturity?" "A bit." "Perfect grades?" "Not really." "Flexibility?" "Not really." "Experience?" "Not really." "Emotional stability?" "A bit." "Mental capacity?" "Very." "Humour?" "A bit." "And last but not least attention?" "A bit."

Yep, this definitely feels like a psychological test and the pressure is even heightened by not only Lydia's but also Isaac's presence. I am fully aware of the fact that he listens very carefully although he acts like he is totally focused on his files. It just takes him awfully long to read them.

"Very good. There are only three general questions left and then we are finished." "Bring it on." "Do you prefer for your partner to protect and patronize you or to let you handle your stuff on your on?" "I don't know…", I mutter, frowning. "Protection, yes, but he should also be aware that I can take care for myself and am not one hundred percent dependent of him." "Is it okay to have secrets from each other or more important to trust each other in everything?" "I think you should talk to each other about everything and not hide your problems." "Do you want to share every activity with your partner?" "God, no. Supporting each other is fairly enough."

Lydia nods and writes that down right in time for the bell. Isaac seems a little surprised that it´s already time as he hurries to get up and pack his stuff. "See you in Chemistry", he tells me before he leaves us to make it to his class in time. Lydia and I are having sports so we still got time. "Was that okay?", I ask her unsure. Lydia is about to take away my test, as I like to think of it, into a folder. She gives me a reassuring smile. "Of course", she tells me softly. "But I have to admit that I am surprised." "Why?", I ask confused. "Because you absolutely didn't describe Thomas. See, Malia and Kira obviously described Scott and Stiles. It´s not that clear with you but your answers sound a lot like Isaac."

Her words take me aback. "What do you mean? I didn't even name his hair colour!" "No, but you described his character. Honest, confident but also caring? Loyal and mental capacity? Protection but also knowing that you can very well take care of yourself and not having secrets from each other because you are not only pack mates but also living in the same house. Joe, I hate to break that for you, but I think you have a little crush on Isaac Lahey."


	15. Chapter 15: Dangerous reasearch

It took Thomas three days until he asked me out for the dance on Saturday. Lucky for him that I had said no to the other couple of guys that had asked me already. I didn't really know any of them and found it quite irritating that they wanted to take me to that dance without even having talked to me beforehand. I also found it irritating that Thomas asked me in the middle of the cafeteria with everyone, especially people with werewolf ears, to hear it. Maybe he thinks it´s more difficult for me to reject him in a place like that.

"I don't know", I mumble. "I mean, I really hate dancing." "You were quite good at Lydia´s party", he reminds me. He looks so hopeful with those brown puppy eyes. How can you say no to those? How could you disappoint something as sweet as him? I mean, yes, I tried to figure out If I really had a thing for Isaac the whole week but did it matter in the end? He isn't gonna ask me out for that stupid dance and I don't even know if I like him.

So I answer: "Alright, yes." His face lights up. "Great, awesome! I will pick you up at seven, okay? What colour does your dress have?" I stare at him nonplussed. "Ehm…I don't know, I don't have a dress yet. Does it matter?" "Oh…no, I guess not. No matching bowtie then but I probably shouldn't wear one anyway", he mumbles. "Whatever, it´s gonna be great!"

Lydia grins at me as I sit down next to her, I must look very stupid. "Matching tie? Seriously?", I hiss at her and she breaks into laughter. "It´s kind of cute, though", she says after she calmed down. "Yes…with sixteen maybe!" "Give him a chance, Joe. Maybe he will surprise you. And until that we should precede with something I call project perfect dress!"

"Joe? Joe, are you still with me?" I break out of my half sleep because of Stiles' loud voice. My head lies on the table in the nearly dark library and I yawn, rubbing my eyes with my fingers. "Yes, I´m sorry. What did you ask again?" "I asked you if you think that this Jonathan could be our guy." He holds the picture in front of my face and makes me look at it. "He has been in Colorado in March." "Yes, for vacation. I mean...Jonathan is strong and all. One of the oldest warlocks I ever met. But I just can´t imagine he would do something like that." "Did you anger him?"

Stiles looks at me expectantly and makes me feel even worse. This is horrible. Laying out bits and pieces of my horrible life and mistakes in front of him at 12 o´clock on a Thursday night in the school library. I am tired and sad and confused at the same time. And I regret that I promised Stiles to do this with him. "Kind of", I now reply honestly. "I have been fifteen and lost control as we trained my abilities with fire. He lost his eyebrows in the process and suffered a few minor burns but would you come for me years later to punish me for that? I don't think so." "Probably not", Stiles agrees and puts the picture down. At his dismissed pile.

He carries on with another one but I just can´t take it anymore. This is making me nuts. I stand up without a warning and make Stiles nearly jump. "What are you doing?" "Getting some coffee and taking a break. You want one?" "Uh, yes. With milk and sugar, please." I roll my eyes for him to see and turn around to get to the vending machine. It´s not far from the library which is a bummer because it means that I have to return soon. And then we will maybe come to the worse stories, the stories I don't want to tell. The ones that would change their opinion about me. Especially Stiles' opinion because he is so loyal and the most suspicious one of them all. Great.

I shake my head wildly to get it clear again and lean against the wall, sipping on the hot liquid that nearly burns my tongue. I hate coffee as much as I hate dancing. Still I take as much time as I dare to drink it in peace before I buy another cup for Stiles and return back to the library. It´s like he hasn't even moved. Fascinating how hard he can focus on something if he really wants to. "Thank you", he mutters, without actually looking at me. He puts his pen between his lips and squints his eyes while he stares at another paper. I don't even know what he is searching for.

"Stiles, I think I am gonna go home now", I inform him carefully after another silence filled five minutes. "But we are not ready", he states confused. "I know but we can carry on tomorrow, right? I am really tired and hungry." He scratches his neck, taking in all the files and pictures and researches we have left. It´s a lot. Too much for this night anyway. "Okay", he sighs. "But can we…"

He suddenly stops midsentence and turns his head around. I follow his gaze into nothingness. "What´s wrong?" "I thought I heard something", he mutters. And in that very moment the library door shuts loudly. My heart stops for a moment and we both jump up simultaneously. "Someone´s there", I whisper, standing very still and looking around the room. The seconds pass with nothing happening. But it doesn't trick me this time. I know he is here. I can feel his presence. "Stiles, is there another way out of the library?", I ask, taking a step back. "Yes." "Then run for it!"

I don't have to tell him twice. He takes my arm in a tight grip and we head for the back door. I can hear something behind us, slamming to the floor. It sounds a lot like breaking wood. Probably the exact table we sat on just a few seconds ago. Stiles reaches the door and rips on the handle. We barely make it outside and shut it behind us before the next table crashes against it.

"Get that chair!", I order Stiles and put it under the door latch to block this way out of the library. But it won´t hold him off for long. "We need a place to hide!" "In here!", Stiles says, already opening the door to an empty classroom. It´s not the most original hiding spot but better than nothing, so we rush into it and I do my best to lock it with magic. "We need to call for help", I mutter breathlessly and pull out my phone with trembling fingers. Stiles watches me as I dial Scott´s number and pray for him to answer.

He does. "Joe, what´s up?" "Scott, you need to come to the school. Now!", I whisper back urgently. Now his voice changes into worried. "What´s going on?" "He is here. Stiles and I are hiding in classroom 315. I can´t fight him alone, Scott! I´m scared." It´s the biggest confession I ever had to make to him and it also makes him realize how serious the situation is. "We´ll be there in a few minutes! Hold on." And with that he hangs up.

I put the phone away and sink to the floor, leaning against the sporadically locked door that won´t even be a real obstacle for another warlock. Stiles whereas looks around the room and finally grabs the stick from the blackboard as a weapon before he sits down next to me. He looks highly concentrated and ready to defend himself with that stick in every way possible.

We both sit in silence and listen carefully. For any noise, any sign of him or the pack coming for us. Stiles' grip on his weapon tightens with every second until his knuckles start to shine white under his skin. We both twitch as my phone vibrates. It´s a text from Scott.

We are here now.

We will come in.

And exactly 45 seconds later someone knocks at classroom 315. Stiles already wants to throw it open but I hold him back, stretching out my hand warningly. It could be a trick, you never know. I bend down and stare through the little patch between door and floor. There are four feet out there. I push out the air that I didn't even realize I was holding and unlock the door.

Isaac and Scott push the door open and enter the room. They take in the weird sight of me cowering on the floor and Stiles holding that stick, both looking anxious. "Where is he?", Scott asks, nearly growling. "I don't know", I answer quickly. "He has been at the library. He probably wants to destroy our files and evidence." "We need to get them. Or what´s left of them", Stiles states gravely. Scott nods. "We will. You will come with me, Stiles. Isaac, you can watch over Joe. We will meet you at the carpark." "What? No!", I protest. "I want to help you!" "Seeing you will only encourage him! Please, Joe, listen to me for once!"

His words hurt me although I know he is right. He is our alpha and I haven't really made myself known for obeying or asking him for advice. Like a beaten puppy I take a step back and nod, staring at the floor. "We will be back in a few moments. Get her out safely", Scott tells Isaac before he and Stiles head off out of the room.


	16. Chapter 16: Deepest Fears

Chapter 16

„Come on, let´s get out of here." Isaac takes my arm softly and I let him lead me out of the classroom. From the looks of him all his senses are heightened. His jawline is tightened and his blue eyes flicker through the hallway. I know he must hear everything right now. Our steps on the floor, my quick heartbeat, my irregular breathing. He removes his hand of my arm only to take my hand instead. While my fingers are shaking his are totally still. So much for mental capacity.

We are nearly out of the building, nearly at the entry as the voice appears right behind us. "Oh, what a sweet couple you two make!", he says somewhat disgusted. I can´t hold my scream this time. Isaac turns us both around but of course the hallway still looks empty. This invisibility thing is absolutely annoying! "I am surprised, Joe! You changed your pattern." We start to go backwards. Slowly and carefully. Isaac squeezes my hand but I get angry nevertheless. "Who the hell are you?", I hiss at the thin air in front of me. He laughs coldly. "Still didn't get it, huh? I won´t tell you, though. I like this little game of hide and seek. Although I know everything about you and your little pack. Everything. Your deepest fears and worst secrets. Should I tell her about a few of them, Isaac? Would it change her opinion about you?"

Isaac stops dead as he gets addressed the first time. I try to pull him further away from the voice but I can´t move him a centimetre. "You know nothing about me", Isaac growls but he doesn't sound too sure about that himself. "Wrong", the voice states arrogantly. "But this is getting boring. I already got what I came for. Let´s just show her some of your biggest fears, shall we? That should be fun." Isaac's eyes widen for a moment and begin to glow. He is about to let me go and throw himself at pure nothingness as we are both hit by something very solid.

I scream as I am thrown through the air. I crash hard onto the floor and the air is pulled right out of my lungs. Isaac lands right next to me with a painful moan. My head is dizzy for a second because I hit some shelf with it and it takes me a second before I realize where we landed. Right in one of those tight storage rooms. I am still fighting for air as the door of said storage room slams shut and the lock clicks. We are caged.

I growl angrily and heave myself up, slamming against the door. I mean to detect a smile on the other side of the milk glass in the door and just a flicker of brown hair before it vanishes. We are alone. I can feel that. He is gone, but why? What is this supposed to be? It doesn't make sense to me.

Until I turn around and discover the painful expression in Isaac's widened blue eyes. "Isaac? Are you okay?" What a stupid question, it´s obvious that he isn´t. His breathing gets faster with every second and sweat breaks on his forehead. He jumps up and nearly pushes me to the ground as he rushes to the door to rattle on the handle. "No….no,no,no. Not again", he mutters with a raspy voice under his breath while his rattling gets more violent until he starts to slam desperately against the door, even throws himself against it.

I am literally frozen as I watch him, fear rising in me. I have never seen him like that. I have never seen any werewolf like that! He is totally out of his mind and clearly has a complete panic attack. His whole body is trembling and he begins to shout loudly. "Isaac!" Gladly I find my voice again just in time because now he begins to shift. His eyes aren´t blue anymore but glowing again and his claws grow out. He scraps at the wood with them.

"Isaac, listen to me! I am here with you, you are not alone!", I try to reach him but I am not sure if he sees me anymore. At least not as the friend I am. As he looks up to me he actually looks dangerous. "It´s me, Isaac. Joe. I am not gonna hurt you", I say, raising my hands in a calming way. He doesn't care. A growl escapes his lips and there is nothing human about it. I am absolutely freaking by now. I don't want to hurt him but he can rip me into pieces if I don't defend myself. But there has to be another way to ease his pain!

"Isaac, look at me", I plead softly and instead of fleeing from him, which would be the logical thing, I come nearer and put my hands on his cheeks. "Look in my eyes." He obeys. I keep my hands on his temples and try to suck out the pain of his mind as best as I can. We share pictures and memories and they bring tears to my eyes. Locked into a freezer, alone, scared, fighting to free himself without any chance. I swallow hard. His deepest fears. Now I get it. I am not supposed to see this but I have no other choice.

His body calms a bit and his yellow eyes change back to the blue I like so much. He slips down to the ground and I follow him, not letting go of him until his hands are back to normal as well. After that I pull my hands back only to hug him tightly while we sit there on the cold floor.

"I am so sorry", he mutters in my hair while he presses himself against me, using me literally as an anchor. "It´s okay. It will be okay", I reply with a cracking voice. "Scott will get us out of here." I keep one hand on his back while I pick out my phone with the other one to send a text to our alpha. I can only hope that everything is okay with him and Stiles and that they will be here soon. Until that my priority is to keep Isaac calm and human.

"I will make us some light, okay?", I ask him softly. All he manages is a weak nod. I create the little flame in my hand within seconds and hold it up between the two of us. Isaacs face is pale and sweaty. He is still staring at me as if my eyes are the only thing holding him in reality. I remind myself not to break eye contact. "How can he know that about me?", Isaac asks me quietly. I shake my head. "I don't know. But we will find out, I promise you. We will fix it." It´s a promise I am not entirely sure I can keep but I am determined to do anything possible.

In that moment the lock of the door finally clicks and Isaac is out of that storage room faster than I can look. I follow him in a slower pace to meet the three boys in the hallway. Isaac is leaning against the lockers, still struggling to catch his breath, still trembling. Stiles and Scott don't really look any better but more depressed than panicked. "He took everything, we came too late", Scott confesses before I can ask. I sigh and throw my head back in desperation. One step ahead. Again. "We should get out of here. We need to work on a plan", Stiles decides and I am more than happy to do that.

Isaac doesn't look me in the eyes the next day at school. He actually avoids me entirely. That hits me more than it should. He´s probably angry because I shared his memories. And the need to talk to him about it grows bigger and bigger with every class. I hope to get a chance for that in Chemistry but unfortunately he doesn't take his usual place next to me but switches with Stiles. I sigh deeply and run my fingers through my hair while I try to hide my sadness. It doesn't work a bit, even Stiles can detect that something is wrong with me. As I clearly don't want to answer he stops asking me about it, though.

At the end of Chemistry my sadness turned into anger towards that dumb werewolf. And I am determined to make him talk to me, no matter if he wants to or not! He tries to flee me with getting up right after the bell and leaving the room but for once I am faster than him. I catch up with him in the hallway and block his way.

"You have two possibilities: You will talk to me right now or I will make a scene right here." He stares at me, dumbfounded. Then he sighs and pulls me into an empty classroom. How ironic. "Okay, Lahey, you are obviously angry at me right now because of what I did and I am sorry! I really am! But damn it, I didn't want to hurt you, don't you get that? I only wanted to help you!", I spill as soon as he shuts the door. "I am not angry", he says surprised. "But…why are you ignoring me the whole day, then?" "Because I am embarrassed."

He must see in my expression that I absolutely don´t understand because he sighs deeply and comes a step nearer. "Joe, I nearly hurt you yesterday! I lost control because of something I should be over since forever and that bloke used that against you." I glare at him. I know I should be relieved but I only get angrier. "You should be long over it? Bullshit, Isaac! You never forget something like that. And just in case you forgot it: We are here to protect each other! So stop avoiding me because I clearly don´t want you to."

With that I stomp out of the room to let him dwell over my words. Dumb werewolf.


	17. Chapter 17: Nightmares

Chapter 17

Isaac approaches me a few hours later. It is dark, already night actually. I sit on my desk, doing the last bit of homework for my English essay as he knocks on the door. I am quite surprised as it's his curly head that appears in the carefully opened gap.

"Hey! What's going on?", I ask him, pushing my chair from the desk and turning it towards him. He comes in and closes the door properly before he turns around again to face me. He scratches his neck and doesn't move any further which definitely makes him look nervous.

"I…I thought we could maybe talk", he answers insecurely.

Wow. That must've been a big step for him, reaching out to someone. And I feel honoured that it's me, the one who knows him probably the least. Maybe I earned that trust by nearly getting killed by him. I am surely not gonna complain because right now, in his jumpers and that tight blue t-shirt with his blue eyes shifting around the room uncomfortably, he looks incredibly cute. Not that I would ever admit that.

"You know, you don't have to stand there all night", I remind him, because I can't turn off my sassiness totally.

"I guess that's a yes", he murmurs, rolling his eyes before he lets himself fall onto my bed. I stay in my chair, keeping a safe distance.

"How do you feel?", I ask a little bit more sensitive now.

Isaac stares at some point on my floor and just shrugs. "I don't know. Not good? Not because it happened necessarily but because I could've hurt you. I thought I am stronger than that by now."

I don't really know what to say to that. In the end I decide to screw the safe distance and push my chair a little bit closer.

"Listen, Isaac, nothing happened. This could have been every one of us. That guy clearly knows about our fears and how to make it an advantage for him. If it wasn't you there with me, he would've triggered something in Stiles or Scott. It's not your fault."

"Scott would've been stronger", Isaac objects.

"Even Scott has his weaknesses! See, that's exactly what he wants. To break us apart. It will be easier to hurt us if we are not united."

"But how can he know about it?", Isaac questions desperately. "It's exactly what happened with…with someone else before."

His little pause makes me frown. With whoever it was, it must've been someone close to him. I can see it in his eyes. And I should be ashamed of the fact that I care more about who that could be than about who the all-knowing guy is. But I just do. Wow, am I that far already? When did that happen?

I feel the blush creeping in my cheeks and turn away quickly, covering this weird movement by grabbing my glass of water from the desk.

"Maybe…maybe he knows that other one?", I suggest weakly.

I realize immediately that that was the wrong thing to say. His face falls for a second, just a second, but it's enough.

"That's not possible", he answers quietly.

I get the message and am shocked, my heart skips a beat. This is horrible. What did this guy have to go through?

"I am so sorry, Isaac."

"No, it's okay", he waves off, although I can see in his eyes that it pains him. I feel the urge to hug him but I hold myself back. He probably wouldn't want me to do it anyway. "It's not a big secret, the whole pack knows. It was…kind of the reason why I left for France."

Now that is intense. I suddenly feel like an intruder. And totally overwhelmed. She was so important to him that he left his pack and his home to recover from the loss. I never had someone I loved this much. Never in my whole life.

"She must've been great", I say, nearly whisper it because my voice isn't fully reliable right now.

To my surprise a small smile plays on his lips. "Yes, she was. And she would be pissed if she knew that I nearly killed you."

"Ah, I would've stopped you in the last moment", I counter. "Eventually."

His smile gets a little bit brighter and that cheers me up a bit. I can make him smile. That's something, right? Still, this was much easier when I just disliked him and had no idea that he burdens as much pain as me.

"But that still leaves us with the question how he knew about it", Isaac reminds me finally.

I sigh and put the glass down again, it's empty anyway. The memory of that flash of a smile comes back to me, over and over again. And the dark hair. I have seen that before. But where?

"Well, we will know that if we can figure out who it was…and there might be a way to do that", I admit slowly.

His mouth drops open. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…I believe that I saw him…not really, just a glimpse. But I am sure that he's somewhere in my head, we just need to find a way to get it out of there", I explain unwillingly. Unwillingly, because the idea that I have is absolutely nothing I favour.

"So we need another witch?"

"Not necessarily. A werewolf could do it, I guess."

The realization hits him and his blue eyes widen as he understands. "Wait, no! Sticking our claws in your neck? That's crazy and painful, believe me, I have been there."

"And did it help?", I press on.

Now it's him who glares at me. "That's not the point."

"It doesn't matter right now, I need to talk to Scott about it first", I mutter because it's clear that he won't give in. Not tonight.

"I think invisible guy would love to see someone do that to you", Isaac grumbles. "Like he would obviously love to see you dead."

I sigh. "Maybe he would. We'll see."

We ended the conversation on good terms. I am actually glad that he confided in me. Very much so. But it doesn't make things easier. Because now I know who Isaac really is. He is not just this confident guy who likes to smirk and brag. Absolutely not. He is as burdened as I am, he is complex. And he is obviously worried about me.

And I shouldn't be thinking about him too much because I will go out with Thomas tomorrow and there must be a good reason why Isaac didn't ask me out. Probably because he isn't really interested in me. Him being worried doesn't mean that he is. He would be worried about Scott too, right?

I throw myself around in the bed and it takes an eternity until I finally fall asleep. The dreams are not very helpful.

 _I am back in that closet with Isaac. His eyes are glowing. He comes towards me, slowly, his claws grow out. My heart races. I stumble backwards until I reach the shelves and press myself against them, my whole body is shaking from the breath-taking fear. "No, please don't", I whisper to an Isaac that's not there anymore. This is not him. This is a beast and there is bloodlust written in his yellow eyes. I try to use my powers but I seem to have lost them. I can't do anything but wait for my death. Wait for him to rip me apart. The worst thing is, that it will hurt him more than me. It will hurt him for an eternity as soon as he gets out of here._

 _I whimper, raising my arms in my last defence. And then everything changes. Someone appears behind Isaac. I only catch a glimpse of a smile and dark hair, a crazy laugh fulfils the air. And before I can even move a sharp knife is pushed through Isaac's breast._

 _I gasp. It's like I can feel his pain myself. His eyes turn back to the usual blue as he looks down at the knife incredulously. Then he falls. And I scream. I scream my heart out, falling on my knees. "No, no! Please, wake up! Wake up, Isaac!", I beg while I take his head in my lap. But his eyes are empty. They don't see me._

 _"I will break you into pieces…", the voice whispers in my head._

I scream myself out of sleep and stop immediately as I realize what I am doing. But my breathing doesn't steady for another fifteen minutes. He was dead. Very dead. And yes, that ripped me into pieces. But it was just a dream. A dream that evolved out of the traumatising incidents in the last weeks.

And the real outcome of that is, that I will look like shit tomorrow at that stupid and needless dance. Great.


	18. Chapter 18: Date Night

Chapter 18

I check my reflection in the mirror once again. The dress is perfect, I gotta grant Lydia that. Her taste is marvellous. The royal blue works great with my maroon hair, the long flowing gown makes me look a bit taller than I actually am and fits perfectly and the High Heels are actually quite comfortable, just as she promised. And what she did with my make-up and hairdo…well, I would never be able to curl it in that flawless way. I have to admit that I look good. She even managed to cover the circles under my eyes. Still…the enthusiasm to go there with Thomas didn't set in yet.

Ten minutes before he is supposed to pick me up I finally grab my tiny handbag and leave the room. My roommates, how I like to call them by now, are assembled in the living room. Both Isaac and Scott look up as I enter, but their reactions couldn't be more different. Scott displays a big smile and an expression not unlike the one a proud, big brother would wear while Isaac…well, he seems frozen. He stops fidgeting on his suit. His blue eyes widen and his mouth drops open. To say he looks astonished would be an understatement.

"You look great, Joe!", Scott states.

I smile at him nervously, turning away from Isaac and trying to not share too much thought on his behaviour and what that could mean or on the fact that he's obviously going to the dance too. Which I didn't know. Oh, and the pictures from that nightmare I had aren't helping.

"Thanks, Scott! You're going with Kira, I suppose?", I carry on.

"Yep, gonna pick her up in a few minutes", he replies, checking his watch with a frown.

Then I address Isaac and to my relief he recovered from my sight in the dress.

"With whom are you going?", I ask on, extra casually.

He smirks, only it's not really convincing this time. "Nobody. There are always tons of girls who need to be comforted at those dances."

"Charming", I state sarcastically.

In that moment the doorbell rings and distracts me from that stupid agenda of his. The nervousness returns at once. This is a date after all! And if Isaac hadn't shown up I would be all excited about it. The fact that he's behaving like an asshole right now makes it easier to pretend that I actually am.

Thomas grins brightly at me as I open the door for him. He looks stunning in his dark blue suit, which magically matches my dress. As if it was meant to be.

"You look beautiful, Joe!", Thomas exclaims.

I smile at him shyly, very aware of the fact that Isaac and Scott are listening to every single word we are exchanging.

"Thank you. I'll just take on my cloak and then we can go."

Like a perfect gentleman he helps me with that, touching my shoulders slightly. It doesn't really affect me. There is a hot guy, obviously into me, going on a date with me and I can't enjoy it like a normal teenage girl definitely would. Great. What the hell is wrong with me?

He leads me through the front yard and I am happy to leave Isaac behind. A car waits for us.

"So…I am sorry, this is just the old car from my parents, but they needed the other one", Thomas apologizes to my surprise, actually looking sincerely sad because of this as he opens the door for me. I sit down on the soft seat and shoot him a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, I have no clue when it comes to cars. As long as it's driving it's fine with me."

"You don't like driving?", he asks, starting the loud engine and pulling the car out of the driveway.

"Not really. Well, I have a license but I didn't drive since I arrived here."

"It must be weird for you to drive on the wrong side!"

I shoot him an irritated look. On the wrong side? What is he talking about? Then it hits me.

"Ehm, not really. That's England, not Germany", you clarify. Everybody knows that, right?

Everybody except for him. He seems confused at first before he changes the topic to school. This date isn't really starting on the best of terms, matching outfits can't change that.

I am relieved as we arrive at the school where students are already running around and chatting in their fancy robes. Thomas helps me out of the car and we walk towards the building. I don't really know what to say to him. Without alcohol this is a lot harder, just because I am not used to do small talk and I can't possibly tell him about the things that really bother me. He tries to hide the awkwardness between us with a winning smile but I am sure that he can feel it too. Maybe I shouldn't have come. Stupid dance.

"So…ehm, do you want something to drink?", he finally asks me after we walked through the hallway and reached the gym. The gym looks like a pink dream. Balloons are everywhere and it's hellishly kitschy. The other guests seem to enjoy that but I am absolutely overwhelmed. Actually the buffet is the only thing that makes a good expression on me so I accept his offer.

"What is that?", I ask him, pointing at a dark red liquid.

Thomas makes a grimace. "Punch. But I am pretty sure they spiced that up, if you know what I mean. They do that every year."

I suppose that means vodka. Perfect! To Thomas' utterly surprise I grab a plastic cup and fill it to the edge before I gulp down half of it. Yep, definitely vodka. Loads of it. I really have to fight to not make a disgusted face in front of him but I manage that in the last minute.

"Don't you want something?" Maybe he will remember that England is the country where they drive on the wrong side with some alcohol in his system? Unfortunately he shakes his head.

"No, I think I'll skip. I wanna be in perfect shape for you", he jokes, grinning sweetly.

I chuckle nervously. Then I drink the rest of the punch. God, I really have to get my stuff together! There is nothing wrong in enjoying a date, even if it's not the perfect partner. Thomas is cute and decent and I have to forget about Isaac anyway.

So I ask: "Do you wanna dance? I may kill you with my non-existent talent but it's worth a try."

He laughs softly, putting an arm around my shoulder. "I will risk it."

The first song is fast and it's actually a lot of fun to dance to it. I am sure that I look ridiculous but whatever. Thomas spins me around and we are actually both laughing honestly for the first time this evening. As a slower one starts he immediately pulls me into a tighter embrace and leads me into elegant swaying. He really is quite good at this. And the closeness to him doesn't feel all too weird to me, which is progress, I guess.

"May I ask you something?", he mumbles into my hair, his warm breath brushing my neck. That gives me goosepumps, I am just not sure why exactly and if it's a good or a bad thing.

"Of course, ask on."

"Why do you live with Scott McCall? Did your parents stay in Germany?"

I swallow. What a party pooper. I am absolutely not keen on talking about this with him but it would also be wrong to lie about it.

So I just say: "No…they are dead."

He freezes and pulls away a bit, his eyes widened and the shock displayed in his face. It's no surprise to me. I am used to this reaction and this expression of pity that I hate so much. I never wanted to be pitied.

"I am so sorry!", he exhales, hugging me tightly.

I tap his back awkwardly. "It's okay…that was a very long time ago."

In this moment I discover him over Thomas' shoulder. How long have we been here? Probably half an hour. That's how long it took Isaac to find a girl to comfort, apparently. And what a girl that is! Tall, blonde, beautiful, clinging to him as he leads her to the dance floor confidently. The sting in my heart hurts more than I expected. A lot more.

He shoots the pair of us a nearly angry look before he focuses back on his dancing victim, how I like to call it. They start to dance and the way they do it has to be forbidden! Way too close, way too sexy. Pure hatred for that girl flows through my veins and I am surprised myself of those extreme emotions. I really want to send a force field against her. And him.

"Joe, are you okay?", Thomas' voice pulls me out of my observations. He let go of me and observes me worriedly now. I mimic a smile at once and nod.

"Yeah, don't worry. I am just so hungry. Can we grab some food?"

I just want to flee the sight of Isaac and Blondie. I have absolutely no appetite anymore but Thomas is so excited to tell me about the different dishes that I can't help myself but think that it's cute.

"Did you have those in Germany?", he asks me, grabbing one of the mini burgers.

"I guess they have them somewhere but I never ate them", I tell him, still trying hard to ignore the dancing couple in our backs.

He grins brightly. "You have to taste them, they're delicious! Coach's specialty."

I do and he is right, they really are.

"I had no idea that Coach can cook!", I chuckle, taking another one from the decreasing pile.

"I think he learned that in rehab to relax", a voice behind me states. I have never been so happy to see Stiles and that means something, because I usually always am when I meet my locker buddy. Malia is at his side and looks stunning in a red, tight dress that complements her feminine curves in all the right ways. She gives me a smile while her boyfriend helps himself to a mini burger and throws it into his mouth.

"Everything clear?", he asks me causally to not make Thomas suspicious. Nevertheless I know that he refers to our little warlock problem. I scan the room once again which I did regularly since we arrived and nod.

"I think so. And there are some news I'll have to tell you, but I guess it doesn't have to be today."

Stiles and Malia frown simultaneously. Thomas didn't even realize what we are talking about, he is far too distracted by the hot dogs at the other side of the table.

"Let me guess: No good news?", Stiles says, typically sarcastically.

I roll my eyes. "Not really good or bad. We'll talk about it tomorrow, you two should just enjoy the evening. You love dancing, don't you, Malia?"

She smirks, her eyes sparkling sassily. "Yes, but having Stiles on the dancefloor always tends to get dangerous."

"Very funny", Stiles huffs pouting which makes both of us laugh.

Then he turns around and his expression changes from pouty to repulsed. "God, he should really get a room."

With he he means Isaac. And I absolutely have to agree with him. Blondie is dancing with him like a freaking stripper, rubbing her ass on his body and touching him nearly everywhere. It seems like he is fully into it, although he still manages to shoot our little group a look as Thomas puts his arm around my waste and back at once as he realizes that we are watching him. I start to feel sick and I am pretty sure that the burgers aren't the cause.

While Stiles recovers quickly and pulls Malia onto the dancefloor I can't believe what I am seeing. I am so angry, so pissed. At him, whom I believed to be much more decent, especially after what he told me yesterday. At Blondie, who just takes what she wants. And at myself because I have those feelings, because I am such a stupid little girl falling for the complicated werewolf that has no interest in me. So angry that I can't just enjoy this date with a cute guy.

That has to change! I have to start to take what I want too! And right now I want to feel different, I want to feel wanted, I want to feel less like dirt.

And that's why I wrap my arms around Thomas' neck right there and press my lips onto his.


	19. Chapter 19: Storm

Chapter 19

A first kiss with somebody should be magical. An explosion of emotions. That's not what this kiss is, although Thomas wraps his arms around my body after he recovered from the first shock and kisses me back. It's not because of him. His lips are soft and gentle, he is a very good kisser. But my heart doesn't react, my stomach doesn't flutter. And while we are kissing it doesn't make me forget my anger, it actually heightens it. Because I wish this was Isaac.

I pull away from Thomas, catching my breath and trying hard to hold back the stupid tears. He stares at me dumbfounded and confused. Who can blame him?

"Did I do something wrong?", he asks me irritated.

I shake my head, biting my lower lip. "No it's…I am sorry, I just need to go to the restroom."

I just leave him right there and walk through the room, not only fleeing my date but also Isaac's stare. I only catch a glimpse of him but that's enough. He is not dancing anymore. He seems frozen on spot and his expression is stony. Great. Now I am going to be judged. Pitied, judged...what a successful evening!

I push through the door, leaving the noise and music and horrible romantic decoration behind before I lean on the lockers and burry my head in my hands. Come on, I tell myself. You are stronger than that! This is just a little backlash, a lesson I have to learn. There are more important things. Especially now.

I push myself from the wall and decide to leave. I need to get out of here. In that moment the door to the gym opens once again and reveals the one person I absolutely don't want to see right now.

"Where are you going?", Isaac asks me as I just walk on, ignoring him. I don't even have the strength to shoot him a glare. What would it help anyway?

"Home."

"Shouldn't you tell your boyfriend?", he questions coldly, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he starts to follow me. Why do his legs have to be that long? It's impossible to be faster than him.

"He is not my boyfriend and this is none of your business", I hiss at him. "Shouldn't you go back to your blond friend? She will be so disappointed if you don't!"

He raises his eyebrows, not slowing down, though. "For someone who kissed another guy you sound very jealous, Joe."

I can't believe that he actually said that. I turn around, my mouth dropping open at this arrogant accusation. That is true, of course, but I would never admit this right now. It's just wrong in this situation. And stupid.

"Wow, now that proves your modesty! I wasn't jealous, dumbass, I just think that what you pulled in there was pretty pathetic. Very pathetic. Now leave me alone!"

He snorts and doesn't even think about it. Great.

There is no chance to get rid of him without kicking his ass with my witchy powers, so I decide to ignore him instead. I stomp off and push the doors open to finally get out of this stupid school.

I stop dead as I realize that it's raining. More like seriously storming. I twitch as thunder sounds and hesitate for a second to get out there into the pouring rain. I forgot my cloak and this absolutely won't be comfortable. But when I have to decide between going back to Thomas and running through a tornado like storm I will definitely choose the storm!

So I just press my lips together stubbornly and walk into the freezing night air. Also in the hope that the rain will do the trick and stop Isaac from keeping me company, but of course it doesn't. I roll my eyes, take of my shoes to be faster and run over the cold cement barefooted.

"Joe, this is stupid! You will get sick!", he yells over the thunder, running his fingers through his already wet curls.

"I don't care!", I scream back, slightly hysterical as I notice.

"God, why do you have to be so stubborn?"

"Why do you have to follow me?! Just go back!", I repeat, going even faster.

"Yeah, great idea! Letting you run through the darkness alone while a crazy warlock is out there who wants to kill you. Or worse."

"Oh, I see! Now you are the worried Isaac again! I really have to write down a list of all of your facades. I am losing track!"

He puts an arm on my shoulder and holds me back with soft force. His gaze is incredulous. "What are you even talking about? I have been honest with you!"

"Honest? Maybe. Decent? Not so much!"

That makes him laugh. A humourless and deprecating chuckle.

"Says the one kissing a guy she barely knows in front of the whole school!", he counters coldly.

I inhale the air loudly, being absolutely overwhelmed by the horrible meaning of his words.

"So now you're saying that I'm a bitch? How ironic!"

He is already about to answer that, probably not in a very friendly way, as a car stopping next to us on the road interrupts our fight. The window is drawn down and a familiar face appears behind it. Malia. It's Stiles' jeep, who sits in the driver's seat and stares at us in utter confusion.

"What the hell are you to doing out there?", he asks.

Just now I realize how hard I am breathing and how the anger must've reddened my cheeks. I try to calm down but it's really not an easy task.

"Going home", I reply weakly.

"On foot? Awesome idea! Now get in before you die out there!", he orders.

I won't complain. The warmth of the jeep is by far the most welcome thing in the last few hours, so I hurry to open the door and slip in. Isaac follows, carefully keeping safety distance. Another thing I won't complain about because right now I have the strong urge to punch him and that wouldn't be a good idea.

"Why aren't you at the dance anymore?", I ask Stiles as he starts the engine, just to break the awkward silence that spreads in the car while Isaac crosses his arms in front of his chest and stares out of the window demonstratively and Stiles and Malia observe us irritated.

"It got boring, so we decided to watch Star Wars instead."

"No. We decided to watch a movie. You decided it would be Star Wars", Malia clarifies.

I try to laugh at that but it's so unconvincing that I stop in the middle of the attempt.

"What's going on with the two of you?", Stiles presses on. "Are you fighting or something?"

Malia intervenes before I or Isaac have to answer.

"Stiles, just don't."

She shoots her boyfriend a meaningful look.

"Great. So let's not tell our driver why we are acting like an old married couple while we are dripping on his seats", Stiles grumbles under his breath. "I appreciate it."

Thankfully it's not a long ride to Scott's house. As we pull into the driveway Isaac jumps out of the car without saying another word. I on the other hand at least take the time to mumble "thanks" before I grab my shoes and walk into the house. I can sense Stiles' inquiring looks in my back and am very happy to flee them as I slam the front door shut behind me.

Isaac actually waited for me in the hallway, for what reason ever, but I have no intention to continue this stupid and senseless discussion. Instead I really need something that soothes me. Therefore I make my way right into the kitchen to search for cookies or chocolate bars or anything that will lessen my anger. I cram through the cupboards, well aware of the fact that Isaac is leaning behind me in the doorframe. Damn it, why do I have to live with this guy?

"What do you want? Everything is said", I spill.

He shakes his head slowly. "No, it's not. I still don't get why you are so angry at me."

I take some well-deserved time to swallow the chocolate chip cookie before I focus back on him.

"I am angry at you because you ruined my night with your behaviour, don't you get that?"

He obviously doesn't because now he looks as confused as Stiles.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, I haven't even spoken to you!"

"Yes, you haven't! You just glared at me, making me feel like an idiot and uncomfortable! No words needed for that", I say, throwing the cookies back into the cupboard because my appetite is gone.

Isaac seems stunned for a moment. He wears his I'm-not-able-to-cope-puppy-face that normally makes you weak but not today.

"Well…I'm…", he stutters stupidly before he gets his things together again. "I just couldn't watch you being all over that guy, alright? He's not good for you. He's an idiot and he pulled some pretty asshole things back in the days and you don't even care."

Now it's my turn to laugh humourlessly.

"Yes, because everybody of us has been a saint "back then"", I state sarcastically. "And by the way: he treated me like a gentleman the whole evening. He was the decent one in that room, Isaac! You were acting like the asshole!"

"Well, maybe I just had to distract myself from that sight!", he defends himself.

Suddenly! Suddenly me dating Thomas made him urge for a distraction. Under different circumstances this would have made me happy. But it's so absurd in this situation that it doesn't.

"If it's so hard for you to see me with him, then maybe you should've asked me to that dance yourself!", I throw at him, much more confidently than I actually feel.

I have never seen Isaac so shocked. He scratches his neck, at once unable to look at you and hurries to mumble: "What…that…that's totally not…I mean…"

Great. This got even more awkward, who would've thought that's even possible? By now I really am more upset than angry and I know it's time to go. Otherwise my emotions will get the best of me and he can't see that.

"Forget it. I'm just gonna go", I therefore mutter, turning around to leave the kitchen and run to my bedroom to maybe cry a little. I hate crying but this seems to be a reason to let it go. As an exception.

But Isaac has other plans for me. "Joe, wait!", he exclaims. His hand is already resting on my shoulder and he makes me face him again. And then, without any warning, his lips are on mine.

The kiss is mixed with weird emotions. Anger, desperation, longing. A lot of longing. And I know I should pull away but I can't. My head is empty at once and instead of pushing him away I burry my hands in his curls and pull him even closer while he embraces me tightly. All my senses are heightened in that moment and I'm hungry. Hungry for more, hungry for Isaac. Hungry for that guy that kisses me passionately but still gently. Whose warmth embraces me although we should be freezing from the rain. This is how a first kiss is supposed to be.

Or not. Not with this background story. I don't want to stop but my brain starts to work again and although there couldn't be anything more heavenly in this world than Isaac's lips on mine I pull away.

He stares at me, breathing hard and his cheeks reddened from the effort, his hands still resting on my back. A smile threatens to appear on his lips until he notices my sad expression. I turn my head away. I can't look at him anymore.

"This is not right. Not like this. Not if you just want me because you can't have me", I mumble. Because this is exactly how this feels. Then I free myself from his embrace, make his arms fall weakly on his sides, and hurry out of the kitchen to my bedroom. This time he doesn't follow.


	20. Chapter 20: Friendship

I have another terrible night. This seems to become a habit. A very unsettling one. This time I don't have nightmares but just can't fall asleep. And the whole time I ask myself if it's the same with Isaac. A part of me wishes for him to come over but he doesn't. So I endure this lonely night on my own and try to swallow down the dread of the next few days.

When I finally give in the sun is already rising and I decide that it's a good time for the first coffee of the day. Surprisingly enough I am not alone as I enter the kitchen. I am thankful that it's not Isaac who's rummaging with the coffee machine in the corner but Scott. His dark hair is still messy from sleep and he is only wearing boxers and a t-shirt. While this would have been weird with Isaac it's totally not with Scott. I guess he really is like a brother to me.

"Can you make one for me too, please?", I ask him and make him jump. His shocked face is hilarious and makes me chuckle.

"Really? Shouldn't you have heard me with your supernatural hearing?"

He smirks at me before he turns back to the cupboard to take out a second cup. "Not at this time of day. Why are you up so early?"

"I could ask you the same question."

"I have to study for a test in Biology"

This answer is so absolutely ordinary that it actually takes me aback for a moment. God, sometimes I really forget that we have a normal life next to our crazy and life threatening one.

"Now it's your turn", he presses on and hands me the cup filled with the precious hot liquid.

I stare at it, take a slow sip and my time before I answer. I don't want to reveal too much.

"I just didn't sleep well, that's all."

My casual tone is not convincing him, I can see that at once.

"I heard you and Isaac had a fight?"

"God, Stiles can't keep anything to himself, can he?", I mumble grumpily and sit down at the kitchen table. Just because it's really exhausting to stand the whole time being that tired. Scott makes himself comfortable next to me and still observes me very closely.

"It's nothing, Scott. Really. We were just pissed at each other and both had bad days. That happens."

I see it in his eyes. He knows exactly that there is more to it. But he doesn't push the matter any further.

"Actually, I need to talk to you about something else", I decide to change the topic before he changes his mind.

"What's that?"

"I may have an idea how we can identify the warlock", I reveal.

Scott's whole body language changes in that very second. He puts the cup down and tenses. The tired expression in his eyes changes towards highly concentrated and serious.

"What do you mean?"

"I have seen something as I was locked into this storage room with…Isaac…" God, it's a lot harder to say his name than expected! I clear my throat and hope that Scott didn't notice. "Not much, but I am sure that I know him. We just have to draw out this memory."

"Great! That's great! What's the plan?", Scott asks enthusiastically, his eyes flickering with excitement.

I sigh. "The plan is…that you need to do it."

His face falls. "I don't understand."

"You are an alpha, Scott. With Derek's help you could make it. I am sure you could."

The meaning of my suggestion slowly dims on him and his reaction is as anticipated: not happy. He doesn't reject the idea from the start as Isaac but he slowly shakes his head.

"I don't know, Joe. I have never done this and I don't feel good with that."

"But there is no other way!", I urge. "He has been quiet for far too long, I know you think that too! It won't take long until he takes the next step and I don't want to find the next body, I want to prevent this from happening. This is the only way! It's worth the risk."

"You could get seriously hurt."

"Others already got hurt. One girl got killed. And let's be honest: because of me. All this happens because of me. I beg you, Scott. You would do the same thing if you were in my position. Let me try this."

He frowns and looks at me for a while, obviously thinking hard about it. I keep silent and let him. Finally he sighs.

"I don't like it. But you are probably right."

I smile and nod energetically. "This will work, Scott. I am sure!"

"When?"

"As soon as possible. Depends on Derek."

"I will call him", he mutters before he gets up from his chair and pulls out his mobile phone. As horrible as my near future seems, this definitely feels like a small victory. I knew that Scott would do the right thing. He is a true alpha. He is a good leader.

I am successful in not meeting Isaac the whole day. Which is a miracle considering the fact that we share the same bathroom. Maybe he's helping. I won't complain. Actually I stick pretty much to myself after Scott and Derek made the agreement on the phone. Derek will come back to Beacon Hills for the occasion and Scott will do the memory thing tomorrow after school under Derek's supervision. Which soothes me. It makes the probability of a positive outcome bigger.

But I also have to discover the bad effects of having a close pack at this evening. Secrets are never safe. Therefore it's only a matter of time until Lydia hears about my fight with Isaac and instead of texting or phoning me she just decides to visit me at home. Which is very clever because it means that I can't flee her. She's really good.

As she comes in after the knock I look up from the page of my book that I have tried to read for half an hour. She closes the door behind her and just stands there, hands on her hips and lips pursed.

"What are you doing here?"

"Helping my friend who obviously has some crisis and doesn't even think about texting me or asking me for advice!", she exclaims.

I blink at her dumbfounded. To be honest, I haven't even thought about doing all that.

"I…is that what you guys do? I am sorry, Lyd. I am not used to that kind of friendship stuff."

Her face softens immediately at my confession. She comes over and sits down next to me, locking me into her intense gaze.

"Well, I am here now. As I will always be when you are in distress! So tell me: what's going on? What happened yesterday? And I want to hear the whole story and not Stiles' weird: They stood there in the rain and hated each other anecdote."

I close my book with a sigh (it's hopeless anyway) and let myself sink into the mattress to stare at the ceiling. This is a lot easier than talking about this while looking into anyone's eyes. There is still the possibility of lying to Lydia but why should I? I trust her. Maybe most of them all. I have no idea why but Lydia just grew at me. We are on the same level and I seldom am with other people.

"I don't know where to start", I admit.

"Maybe at the beginning?"

"That would be shortly before Thomas picked me up to that dance and Isaac declared his intentions to find a girl to comfort there. Yep, that's pretty much where everything started to get messy."

"Because you don't want him to be with other girls", Lydia states matter of factly.

"And because that seemed so unlike him and I was disappointed."

"Understandable. That sounds like something a jerk would do", Lydia agrees. "What happened then?"

"I went to the dance with Thomas but it was just weird and then Isaac started to dance with that blond girl and…I got jealous. And angry. And my brilliant idea to supress all those emotions was to kiss Thomas."

That's the first time I catch her off guard. Her mouth drops open and she stops me from continuing by grabbing my arm.

"Wait, what? You kissed Thomas? Right there?", she asks incredulously. Great.

"Yes. You can team up with Isaac. He also thinks that it was bitchy", I mumble darkly.

"Bitchy? I don't think it is, I am just surprised. How was it?"

"Not good", I sigh. "I realized that he isn't the right guy. So I pulled away and instead of acting like an adult I ran. Isaac ran after me and we had this really huge fight and said all those awful things before and after Stiles picked us up. Well, and then…then he kissed me."

"Are you serious?!", Lydia exhales. She is so excited by now that her cheeks are blushing. "Just like that?"

"Yes. He sees me with another guy and suddenly he's all interested in me", I grumble.

By now I am really feeling bad again and close to tears. Lydia is clever enough to sense that. And because she is such a good friend she doesn't hesitate to pull me into a tight hug to comfort me.

"Oh, Joe! I really don't think that was the reason", she ensures me softly.

I frown.

"What do you mean?"

She pulls back a little to face me again. A small smile plays around her lips. It looks a little sad in my opinion.

"See, Isaac was never good at talking about or showing his feelings. And after that thing with Allison…I suppose he just never fell in love with anyone ever again. Until you came into the picture. And now it's all confusing him and he doesn't know how to act and what's right or wrong. I know that this is not your fault. But I suppose it's just not easy for him."

What she says makes perfect sense and I can't believe that I was too stupid to get that. His girlfriend died, how can this not leave some scars? I moan, pressing my face into the pillow.

"God, what should I do know?"

"Give him and yourself some time", Lydia suggests, tapping your back. "If you are supposed to end up together, I am sure you will."


	21. Chapter 21: Memory Lane

I was hellishly nervous the next school day. I tried to hide it as best as I could because I knew that it was not really soothing for Scott to hear my fast heartbeat but it didn't really work. Not that I wouldn't trust him. I do. But I've never experienced that before and that frightened me, like everything that I can't control. I also wondered the whole time if Scott had told Isaac that we will do it. Probably. As far as I knew everybody was filled in the plans. If he knew, he didn't show. At least not in the few moments I saw him. Nonetheless, there was a little surprise at lunch time.

I thought about skipping it beforehand for two reasons. Because I wasn't sure if eating was good for my nervous stomach and because I knew that I'd have to sit with Isaac. In the end I am glad that I did attend nevertheless.

Not that we talked to each other. Haven't done that since the fight. We didn't even look at each other. I am pretty sure some of the others noticed the awkward mood between us but nobody said anything. I let Stiles talk and picked at my food absentmindedly until she came over to us.

Blondie. Looking nearly as beautiful as in her dress. And definitely not as tired as I did. I saw her first because she approached Isaac from behind and really had to struggle to not shoot her a deathly glare. My defiant senses heightened immediately, there was nothing I could do about it.

Isaac didn't notice her presence until she tapped him on the shoulder and made him turn around. A broad smile spread on her lips as she looked him in his overwhelming blue eyes. He on the other hand just seemed confused for a moment and then a tiny bit uncomfortable. Stiles shut up and the whole table concentrated on the scene in front of us.

"Hey Isaac! You were gone so fast on Saturday, is everything alright?", she asked him sweetly.

I wanted to roll my eyes so hard.

"I…eh…yeah…", Isaac answered. Stiles and Scott exchanged a look and it was obvious that Stiles held back a chuckle.

"Okaaay…we could refresh it, though!" She looked at him so hopefully that I would have said yes just to not hurt her.

Isaac didn't. He looked down for a second, gathering his bravery, before he lifted his head with a sigh and said: "Sorry, but I don't think so. Like…actually there is no way."

I think I felt the shock about his words sooner than Blondie. But I was better in hiding it, in hiding my joy about his strict rejection. Blondie's eyes widened in indignation and she even shot us incredulous looks, like she was hoping for us to tell her that this was a joke. Nobody even did so much as open their mouth.

"Great", she finally huffed, turned on her heels and stomped off.

Now Stiles broke while I quickly looked down at my food to hide my smile. Isaac glared at my locker buddy. "Shut up!", he growled. Then he shot me a look and seemed a little bit more satisfied.

I am still happy about the scene at lunch as it's time for the memory mission. We decided to do it at home. The place doesn't matter anyway and both Scott and I somehow feel most at ease here. The whole pack came to watch, which isn't necessarily calming my nerves. Especially Isaac, who finally shows that he's not okay with this by behaving grumpier than ever. Grumpier than Derek looks as he enters, to be exact, and that says a lot.

I am surprised how great it feels to see him again. It was a good idea to call him. He greets the others and me shortly, then pauses in front of Isaac. A rare smile brushes his lips.

"When did you come back, Lahey?", he asks, shaking Isaac's hand.

Isaac grins for the first time today.

"A few weeks ago."

"Nice to see you in one bit."

I lean over to Lydia and whisper: "Do they know each other?"

"Yeah. Derek turned him", she explains.

Huh. Who would've guessed? Derek obviously found a way to torture me unknowingly by creating the one person that's able to hurt me. Ironic.

"Shall we start?", Derek ends my thoughts, raising his eyebrows expectantly.

Scott bites his lower lip but nods. That's the sign for me to sit down on the chair. And for my pulse to start racing. I breath slowly and try to calm down but it's really not that easy when someone is about to stick his claws into your neck.

"I still think this is an awful idea", Isaac declares, observing my face very closely and crossing his arms in front of his chest. He looks concerned and somewhat pissed at the same time. I am sure he listens to every single heartbeat of mine.

"Thanks for your positive input, Isaac", Stiles growls.

I lift my hands to shut them up.

"Let's just concentrate and fight later, alright? Derek?"

The former alpha steps next to us and advises Scott to stand right behind me. I close my eyes automatically, shutting the rest of my pack out and concentrate on myself and Derek's mumbling voice. Everybody else is quiet.

It happens fast and unexpected. Maybe that's good because I can't freak out before I feel the pain and gasp loudly.

Everything goes dark but differently than before. More solid until the images start. Memories of mine. Coming fast and sudden. It takes me a few seconds before I realize that I have to lead Scott to the ones we need. I don't want him to see my life story. I don't want anybody to see that. Therefore I stop the pictures as fast as I can.

Instead I imagine glimpse of the smile. The hair. See those in my mind. And together with Scott I dig. It's so surreal because how do you dig through memories? But that's how it feels like.

We stop at a scene from my latest past. The look that Paul gave me in that living room of his parents. And me, turning around and walking out of the room for the last time. I can see that because I am not in my own body but observe the scene from outside, standing next to the armchair. As I turn I see Scott right beside me. He seems puzzled. I sigh.

"My ex-boyfriend", I explain. "As we broke up."

Scott nods and seems a bit uncomfortable to watch it. But it's okay for me. It was just a short memory and must be important to solve this riddle. We already change scenery and watch me leaving his house now with a stern face. I run to my car in a fast pace, just want to get away. God, I remember this moment so well. It's one of those that you want to forget but never will. The oppressive feeling from back then returns, although I haven't thought about Paul in a long time.

"Are you sure we are in the right memory?", Scott asks me with a frown as my other me climbs into the car.

"I don't…", I start and stop abruptly.

I totally forgot about this. Totally forgot that someone else appeared this day. He suddenly knocks on my car window. I roll it down and there it is. The smile. The hair. Of course.

I gasp loudly and we both get ripped out of the memory in this moment. Scott stumbles backwards while I rip my eyes open and tilt forward, my whole body trembling. Before I fall from the chair someone grips me softly and prevents that. It's Derek. Isaac is standing right behind him and stares at me, wildly concerned and a little bit pale.

"I'm…I'm okay…", I reassure him with a hoarse voice. God, this was exhausting! I realize that I am sweating and I am really tired.

"Did it work?", Stiles asks, handing me and Scott glasses of water. I gulp down mine within seconds before I answer.

"It did. God, I am so stupid! I should've known…Though it doesn't really make sense", I mutter.

Lydia kneels down beside me, taking my hand softly in hers and locking me in her gaze. It's easier to calm down when I look at her.

"Who is it?", she asks me softly.

"It's Mike. Mike, former best friend of my ex boyfriend Paul", I mumble. I should've seen it. I knew Mike for years. But why?

"Why would he do it?"

"I…I don't know…", I stumble, frowning. Desperate. "I mean…I haven't hurt him. He is a warlock, like me, but he was never a strong one. New to it all and with about zero experience, but a part of our pack nevertheless. And as things went riot we worked hand in hand."

"But it didn't work out so well, right? That's why you're here", Stiles presses on, not unkind.

I sigh and burry my face in my hands. It's unbearable to look at them, especially Derek and Isaac, while telling that story. This is horrible.

"We lived in a town not unlike Beacon Hills. Actually it was always kind of quiet until this pack showed up. A very strong and dangerous one. Ancient. And cruel. They didn't care about human lives, they just killed for pleasure. We tried to stop them, but…our pack was not as big as yours or as powerful. Our last hope was to draw an invisible border around the town to hold them out. I was supposed to do that.

We knew it was risky. And I always said that I doubted that I had enough power to do it. It didn't work in the end. Paul, as a werewolf, got affected too and got burned pretty badly before I was able to stop the charm. He will wear the scars on his body forever. That was the moment when we accepted that it was over and the pack split up."

My voice breaks at the end of the sentence but it doesn't matter anymore. The story is told. Finally. My pack mates exchange some looks. They are very diverse. Confused, alarmed, concerned. As usual Stiles finds his voice first.

"But you didn't hurt that Mike guy?"

"No. Still, I am sure it's him. Something must have happened back in Germany that changed him. After I left."

Lydia gives me a sympathetic smile and squeezes my hand.

"Don't worry. We will find out."


	22. Chapter 22: Late Night Talks

My hands are trembling as I lift the mobile phone to my ear. I don't want to do this but I have no choice. At least the others decided to give me some space and leave me alone for this task. I am pretty sure that Scott and Isaac could listen if they wanted to. But they won't.

I exhale loudly, close my eyes for a second and then call the number. A small part of me hopes that he won't answer. That he changed his number, which wouldn't be very surprising. But that hope gets destroyed after the third ring.

"Joe? Are you okay?", Paul's voice asks. Even though he's a thousand miles away I can hear his irritation. At the same time it is good to hear his familiar voice. To experience something from my old home.

But that's not what this is about.

"Paul…yes…yes I am. Or no…it's complicated."

"Isn't it always? I heard you moved back to America."

It's not a question but a statement. I sigh and rub my forehead. This really gives me a headache.

"I did, yes. I had a friend here who helped me out."

He stays quiet for a while. Me too, because I just don't know how to start this. Thankfully Paul has always been more talkative than me.

"I get why you did it. I moved to another city too."

That surprised me. Paul was always so bound to his home town. But I think getting third degree burns changes a lot.

"Alone?", I ask, having Mike in mind. They've always been so inseparable, not unlike Scott and Stiles.

"Yes. Well, I started to study here. A new life, new friends. It's good. Did you find a new pack, too?"

"I…yes. I have. Paul, the reason why I am calling…did you have any contact to Mike in the last few days?"

Again there's a short silence. This time probably because he is astounded about the direction that this conversation is about to take.

"No, I haven't", he finally says. There is something in his voice. Just a hint, but I can't name it at first. I am not so familiar with it as in the old days.

"Did anything happen between the two of you? Anything that changed him?", I press on softly.

"It's…why do you wanna know?"

Now it hits me. Sadness. And regret. This is not good. And the only way to find out the whole story is with being honest to him. That's just how he rolls.

"He's here. He followed me and he's gotten awfully strong. And crazy. Like mind controlling and murdering crazy! What happened after I left?"

"He killed people?!", Paul replied shocked.

I turn on my heels and let myself sink on my bed.

"More like making them kill themselves. I don't understand this. He wants to take revenge on me but I haven't done anything to him."

"That's probably not how he sees it."

"What do you mean?"

"After you left…after the pack split, Mike came to me. While I was already packing after my worst wounds healed. He freaked. Because I haven't told him. Because I'd go without him. We never realized but…he was in love with me, Joe. At least that's what he said. My leaving must've triggered something. He obviously holds you responsible for it. I'm so sorry, Joe! I should've known that something was off with him back then."

I close my eyes and sigh. In love with Paul. Of course. Why did I not see it? Because I thought so naturally that Paul was mine? Because I always ignored Mike's glares when he believed I wasn't looking? Love turned people mad, that was nothing new. Especially when it was strong. And Mike must've loved Paul for a long time.

"Should I try to call him?", I hear Paul's weak voice on the other end.

I shake my head softly to free my mind again. "No, that would only cause attention. We will find another way to beat him. Thank you for your honesty. And…and I'm sorry. For everything", I mumble. By now I feel absolutely upset and I can sense the tears starting to break their way. This phone call needs to end quickly, I don't have the intention to cry in front of my ex boyfriend. He deserves better.

"You don't have to be sorry. We knew the risks. I don't accuse you of anything", he replies gently.

"Thank you."

"No problem, Joe. Call me if you need me."

With that we hang up and I throw the phone on my pillow before I turn around on my stomach and press my face into the blanket. Thanks past. For haunting me like that. When will it ever stop?

The nightmare about Isaac returns this night, only in a different version.

 _We are not in the storage room and he's not approaching me to kill me. Instead we are at the lacrosse field. He shoots the winning goal shortly before the game ends and of course I am cheering like crazy. Isaac puts off his helmet and jubilates wildly while he gets celebrated by his team. Then his eyes find mine and he makes his way towards me without hesitation, a big smile plastered on his face that lets his blue eyes shine. Pure happiness and affection pulsate through me and I jump down the last few steps of the bleachers to reach him._

 _He embraces me tightly, one hand placed on the back of my head and the other wrapped around my hip. I cup his face and kiss him passionately. Like it's the most natural thing to do in front of all those people. And the easiest thing. Yeah, it really is a good dream._

 _Until, in that moment, everything goes quiet and Isaac's lips stop moving against mine. I rip my eyes open to discover his widened. He pushes out a gasp and loses his grip on me, stumbles backwards. Then I see the knife. And the blood. And I start to scream while Isaac falls and Mike stands just a few inches away, laughing like a maniac._

I break out of sleep, breathing hard and being utterly confused. The shock is still present and I am not able to tell where I am or what is real. I turn around in panic to find the light switch. My trembling fingers need some time to locate it but I finally do and enlighten my room.

I am not at the lacrosse field. Mike is not here. We are safe…that's what I tell myself, swallowing hard before I realize that I am not alone. Somebody is sitting in my armchair, blinking puzzled. I would've screamed but in this second I recognize Isaac's sleepy eyes.

"What the hell are you doing here? You nearly gave me a heart attack", I hiss, my heart racing, though I am kind of relieved to see the living Isaac in this moment.

He groans and gets himself into a more comfortable sitting position. To say that he looks awful would be an understatement. He looks absolutely sleep deprived and his hair is messier than ever.

"Watching over you", he explains hoarsely.

I frown. "Why would you do that?"

"Because a freak from your past wants to kill you?"

"And you think he will climb through my window to stab me while I sleep?", I state sarcastically.

He shrugs and scratches his neck, yawning. Why does that look so cute? Yawning is not supposed to look cute on anybody!

"Could be possible."

"He won't. He has bigger plans for me, believe me. That would be far too easy."

"You didn't seem so calm and reassured a few minutes ago", he mumbles.

I feel the heat rising into my cheeks. Good thing he doesn't know what I dreamed off.

"That was just a nightmare. He won't come here, Isaac", I ensure him. "You should really go to sleep, you look awful."

He rolls his eyes at my comment but doesn't move. "I won't. I am worried like crazy. And I have every reason to be."

I sigh exaggeratingly. Why does he have to be so stubborn?

"You won't give in, right?"

"Nope", he confirms, popping the p.

"Then at least come into bed, I can't let you sleep in this awful armchair", I say, extra matter of factly.

He blinks at me. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. There's enough space for both of us."

He hesitates for a second but finally slurps to my bed and lies down beside me. I adjust my position a bit to get a little more distance between the two of us. It's hard enough to resist him as it is, especially after what I've just dreamt.

"What did you dream about?", he asks me softly while I place my head onto my hand and face him. It's weird to be so close to him. Because I can smell his odour now and the urge to touch him grows stronger and stronger. Again it hits me how beautiful he is. His blue eyes, his perfect jawline, but most of all the kind expression and the warmth that he radiates.

Still, telling him about it would be far too embarrassing.

"I don't even remember anymore", I mumble weakly.

I can see that he knows that I lie. But he doesn't push the matter further. Thank God.

"May I ask you something?", he whispers.

"You already have."

"Something else", he clarifies, rolling his eyes.

"Maybe. We'll see if I answer."

He considers this not very helpful reply before he shrugs and just goes for it: "How do you know Derek?"

I'm surprised, to say the least. This question is so normal and nothing seems normal the last few days.

I clear my throat and consider for a moment what I want to tell him. But why do I do that? I like Isaac. A lot. And if you really like somebody, you are not supposed to keep secrets from that someone, right? I am so tired of keeping them anyway.

"I know Derek since forever. Our families were befriended back in the day."

"But they're not anymore?", he asks me softly, brushing a strain of hair behind my hear. The touch of his warm finger gives me goosebumps and I snuggle deeper into my blanket.

"No. I screwed that up. I have been an awful thirteen year old girl. Arrogant. I thought I had all the powers of this world. I got angry one day and burned Derek's sister pretty badly. I guess that's just something I do. Burn people."

I sigh. Isaac's eyes narrow a bit. Without thinking about it I reach out to sooth the crinkles on his forehead with my fingertips. He lets it happen and smiles.

"I'm sure you don't do that on purpose."

"No. I just wasn't able to control it. That's why we moved to Germany. To get some distance to my old life and find someone to teach me. As you can see, my life loves to repeat itself."

"Derek must've been pissed", Isaac states, the grin growing wider.

"Oh yes. For many years."

"But he's not anymore."

That's a statement, not a question. While Isaac seems absolutely sure about that I am not so much. Maybe Derek's just hiding it.

"He helped me find you guys. I guess he changed."

"I need to thank him for that", Isaac declares, his eyes sparkling sassily.

I chuckle lightly because this is so absurd. Thanking Derek for bringing me into a pack that is now in murderous danger due to me? Not very logical. But maybe Isaac really means it. Maybe he really is glad that all of this happened and lead me here. At least that's what I hope.

"With my luck I will need to move again in a few months", I mumble.

"I won't let you", Isaac replies.

That's when we both fall silent and just look at each other for a while. That's all I need. Looking at him, feeling his hand brushing my cheek and the warmth of his body next to mine. I never had this feeling when I was with Paul. This is new. Much more intense.

But that doesn't change the fact that I am absolutely exhausted after the last few days. I try to supress it but the loud yawn breaks its way and Isaac laughs softly.

"You should sleep", he mumbles and stretches out his long arm over me to switch off the light.

There is no sense in objecting, my eyes already fall shut. In my half sleep I turn around to have Isaac in my back, but not without grabbing his arm to wrap it around my upper body and cling to his hand. I haven't felt so secure in a long time.


	23. Chapter 23: The Bar

Chapter 23

Needless to say that I slept like a baby for the rest of the night. The only reason why I wake up so early the next morning is the soft knocking on my door. I blink confused into the light, wanting nothing more than close them again to get some more rest. In this moment I realize that Isaac embraced me even tighter within the night. And that he's fallen asleep. So much for watching over me. I don't care, though, I am actually relieved and also happy that he felt comfortable enough to sleep next to me. And he looks so cute when he's sleeping. His mouth is a tiny bit opened, his hair is messy and his shirt creasy. He breathes deeply and calmly and I really regret that I have to wind myself out of his hug, but the knocking doesn't stop and I don't want him to be woken by the loud sound.

Therefore I tiptoe through my room, shoot a last checking look at his relaxed figure and open the door to snug out. It's actually not one person waiting in the hallway for me but two. Scott and Stiles. Fully dressed and ready to start the day, unlike me in my pyjama.

"What the hell are you doing?", I hiss at them in a whisper.

Scott raises his eyebrows. "Why are you whispering?"

"Because…because I don't want to wake Isaac. Let's go into the kitchen", I mutter, feeling the heat creeping into my cheeks while I grab their arms to pull them to the staircase. Stiles' eyes widen.

"Isaac? You mean he's in there…like…in your bed?", he mumbles, turning his head into an uncomfortable position to stare at the door again.

I sigh. "Yes. He was worried about me and I didn't want him to sleep in the armchair. Not a big deal."

Stiles snorts as if it is in fact more than just a big deal. It also seems to dim on him what has been going on the last few days between Isaac and me. Scott isn't nearly as shocked. No wonder. He can hear both mine and Isaac's heartbeats.

I finally push both of them into the kitchen and shut the door behind us. This should be safe distance to my room. As I turn around I catch Scott's broad smirk.

"So, why exactly can't we wake him?", he asks, but Stiles answers before I can even open my mouth.

"Because he looks so cute when he sleeps", he says sarcastically, imitating my voice horribly.

"Shut up", I grumble, glaring at him, but that doesn't erase his cheeky grin.

"Can we please be serious again? Why did you wake me at…" I take a look at the watch and my mood gets even worse. "At freaking 7 a.m.?"

"We supposed you wanted to hear the news right away", Scott apologizes.

"What news?"

"My dad found something about that Mike guy"

I immediately tense as that name drops.

"He came to America four months ago. Legally", Scott explains further. "He arrived in Los Angeles and rented a room at a motel for the first three nights, but since then there is no trace of him to be found. At least they don't know where he lives or where he went. But they have recorded him on a surveillance camera at a bar in the next town from here eight weeks ago. He met a guy there, Brody Riggins. The FBI is monitoring him because he has some drug dealing history. And apparently he's also a distant relative to Mike."

"I suppose Mike didn't buy drugs from him", I consider.

"Probably not. We guess that he searched for help and got it. They left the bar together", Stiles adds.

I sigh and rub my temples once again. The last traces of this nice night are gone for good and the worries are back. I should be happy. That's a lead. But the more time passes without something happening, the more nervous I get.

"So our only opportunity to find out more about Mike's plans is by getting this Brody to talk", I say.

"Shouldn't be too hard to find him. He spends every night at this high class bar", Stiles says.

"And I can make him talk easily", Scott declares with a dangerous smile.

But I shake my head. My thoughts are already racing. "If we scare or torture the information out of him, Mike will hear about it immediately. Except you want to kill him, which I don't believe you do."

Scott bites his lip. "Not really our style."

"No, we are the good guys. But it doesn't matter. I got a plan. We need Lydia and Parrish. And we need some great fake ID's."

I have no idea why it is so easy for Scott to get those fake ID's. Maybe Deputy Parrish helped. However, we are ready to go this evening. Lydia and I spent lots of hours in my bedroom to prepare ourselves and step downstairs now, both covered with coats, otherwise I would freeze to death on the car drive. The boys are already waiting. Dressed in button ups and fancy trousers. Isaac shoots me a reassuring smile.

"Is everybody okay?", Scott asks into the round of serious faces. We all nod. Of course. "Good, then let's go."

We split into two cars. Lydia and Parrish drive together, Scott, Stiles, Isaac and I take Stiles' jeep. I snuggle deeper into my coat because it's really freezing in here. Isaac, who is sitting next to me on the back seat, seems unsure if he should come closer to warm me or not. In the end he goes for the middle way. He clears his throat and adjusts his position to be nearer without touching me. I just think to myself how cute that is.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?", he mutters at me. Concern shows in his eyes. Under this circumstances this seems to become his usual look.

I grin at him, mostly to make him feel better. "Hey, this time I made the plan. Everything should be fine. And if anything goes wrong, you are there."

He nods slowly and squeezes my hand inconspicuously. Then we fall silent, just like Scott and Stiles, and I turn towards the window to stare into the dark night. I am excited. This kind of nervous excitement when you know that something important is going to happen but can't tell if it will be good or bad yet. Still, doing something, even something risky like your plan, feels a lot better than doing nothing, which was the case only twenty hours ago.

It takes us half an hour to reach the neighbour town and the parking lot of the bar. I immediately realize that this is no regular pub. It's a modern building with a lot of glass and subtle lightning, the parking lot is full with BMW's and Mercedes and the door is guarded by two very muscular, very badass looking men who already observe us sceptically as we stop. The jeep draws a lot of unwanted attention in an area like this and the whining noise that it pushes out as Stiles' stops the engine isn't really helping. I can sense that my guys are already getting nervous.

Lydia and Parrish obviously aren't. No wonder, they drove here with the car of Lydia's mom, a fancy Toyota. Jordan climbs out of it and circles it to open the door for Lydia, like the perfect gentleman. Then she links arms with him and they move towards the bulky guys. They are practically radiating elegance and confidence, therefore the doormen don't even take a proper look at their ID's before they let them in.

I push out a breath I didn't know I was holding. This is good. The first step is taken.

"Okay, I can never pull off something like that", Stiles declares. Scott and Isaac don't really look any more positive. I sigh.

"Of course you can. Just listen to me, alright? You need to act like men now, got that? Think of something that makes you feel like one. Winning a lacrosse game or beating the ass of some guy you hate or making out with some hot girl. Whatever. Just picture it."

I gesture them to close their eyes and they do. Then I wait. And I wait. Until a small smirk brushes Scott's lips and their body language slowly changes from intimidated to confident. I would really love to know what they are thinking of, especially with Isaac, but I can only guess. This is not the point anyway.

"Good. Now let's go out there. And just shut up and let me talk to them", I order before I push my door open and try to leave the car as gracefully as possible, supressing a shiver caused by the chilly night air.

They follow me but I don't look back at them as I approach the two bodyguards. Instead I fully concentrate on them, displaying the flirtiest smile that I can master without looking too obvious.

"Three attendants, huh?", the one to my right asks me suspiciously as I stop in front of him.

My heart races but outwards I seem perfectly calm. Outwards I only shrug apologetically. "A girl has to look after herself, especially near a town with a criminal rate like Beacon Hills."

The doorman laughs and I could sigh from relief. He buys it.

"I still have to take a look at your ID's."

We show them to them and they have no objections. They let us pass and enter the bar.

Next to me I hear Isaac mumble: "Here we go."


	24. Chapter 24: The plan

I can see at first glance that this bar is more luxurious than anything I have ever taken a drink at. Even when I count in all the bars I was allowed to visit with eighteen back in Germany. It's not really full yet, but the men and women that are sitting at the small round tables in the dimmed light and chat are all wearing expensive dresses and suits. There are even two bars, one on the upper level and one downstairs. I scan the room as inconspicuously as possible and finally discover Lydia at the upper bar. She is sitting next to an older guy with longish brown hair and a leather jacket, her head resting on her hand while she listens to his words carefully. It's no wonder that Brody immediately fell for her, she looks stunning in her tight red dress. Jordan took place a few tables away, sipping on a drink while he observes the pair.

"Let's find a place down here where we have a good view", I mutter at the guys and start for the second bar. As I take a look at the menu I sigh. Every drink is awfully expensive in here. But if we want to fit in we have no choice but to order something, therefore I ask for the cheapest wine as the bar girl comes over and the guys stick to small beers.

"He doesn't look very dangerous, does he?", Stiles mumbles with a frown.

I shrug. "I learned that the ones who look the most innocent are the most dangerous."

"I guess that means we should really keep our eyes on you", Scott states with a smirk. I roll my eyes before I pay for the wine. God, what I could've bought with this money…I don't even wanna think about it.

I take a sip and am relieved that it at least tastes okay.

"Look, she's persuading him to take another drink. I told you this would work", I say, shooting Lydia a meaningful smile as Brody turns his back to her and us. She answers with a wink.

"Actually, the risky part is yet to come", Isaac grumbles.

"I got this."

"What if he recognizes you?", he questions doggedly.

"I will find a way."

It's obvious that he's not satisfied with that answer and would love to bicker about this for a little bit longer but thankfully enough he presses his lips together and gulps down his objections.

"Here we go, third drink", Stiles mumbles after a little while of silence. He is right. Lydia is doing an amazing job so far. I was right to pick her for this task. Not that Kira and Malia aren't also beautiful, but Kira is too shy and I am pretty sure that we never could've persuaded Malia to take on a hot dress.

"I would love to hear what she is saying to him", Stiles continues before he freezes and turns towards Scott.

"You can, right?"

"Every single word", Scott agrees with a grin.

"What are they talking about?"

"That would only confuse you, buddy"

Scott pads Stiles on the back and therefore earns an unnerved glare from his best friend. I on the other hand exchange a look with Isaac and just shrug. I don't care what she says to him as long as it's working. That's probably what Jordan tells himself. He absolutely doesn't look amused but holds his ground.

Until Lydia gives him the sign. She does that as Brody is already pretty much hammered. It's just a subtle nod in Jordan's direction but the deputy doesn't miss it. He gets up at once and approaches them with a steely expression.

As he's standing right in front of them Brody and Lydia look up. The one in actual surprise, Lydia in fake one. I am not able to really hear what Jordan is yelling but it certainly has its effect as he grabs Lydia's arm and pulls her from the chair. Brody wants to intervene, but Jordan makes him back off by showing him his badge. Then he and Lydia leave the bar together, shooting you one last look, while Brody stays back at the bar and orders himself another drink grudgingly.

Now it's my turn.

"Alright, let's do this", I tell myself before I stand up and finally get rid of my coat. I am not comfortable in the dress underneath but I have to admit that it's pretty impressive. Very short, far too short for my liking, and black, perfectly going with my red lipstick, my auburn hair and my curves. The risky factor are the highheels that I am wearing, but I practiced walking on them forever this afternoon.

My outfit catches Isaac, Stiles and Scott off guard, probably because they have never seen me in anything like this. Stiles awkwardly clears his throat and lowers his gaze on his beer, Scott grins widely and Isaac can't stop staring. Which would be quite flattering if I didn't feel so stupid.

"Wish me luck, guys", I mumble and then I start for Brody, walking through the room and right at him as gracefully as possible, feeling Isaac's eyes in my back.

Brody only looks up as I stop right in front of the seat that was originally taken by Lydia.

"Is this one free?", I ask him with my most charming voice and a flirtatious smile.

He eyes me up and I do the same with him. Trying to find any similarity to Mike but there is none. Brody is in his late twenties and he doesn't necessarily look bad, just a bit shabby, even in fancy clothes. The longish brown hair frames his prominent face and his green eyes are small and somewhat heavy. He is definitely not my type. But I seem to be his because now a small smile replaces the grumpy expression. Probs to the dress.

"Of course, pretty lady. You want something to drink?", he offers. With satisfaction I realize that his voice is already pretty weak, Lydia has done an excellent job.

I nod and he asks for a Gin Tonic. Grr. I guess I just have to gulp it down.

"So…was that your girlfriend that left?", I continue casually, sipping at my drink and trying hard to not look disgusted while doing so.

Brody snorts. "Oh no, just some fun. At least that's what I thought."

"She is really stupid if she rejects someone like you", I state and wink.

He pushes out a flattered laugh and leans a little bit closer, obviously starting to feel more comfortable in my presence. Though his eyes slip too often to my breasts for my liking. I just want this to end as soon as possible.

"And you are not that stupid?", he mumbles while he empties his glass of scotch in one sip.

I give him a meaningful smile. "Certainly not. Would you tell me your name?"

"Brody."

"Mary. Nice to meet you"

Instead of shaking his hand I go with my guts and extend my hand too lightly caress his arm. It works.

"So, Brody. What are you doing in life so you can afford a scotch in a bar like this?", I purr.

He smirks. "Well, I am having some banking investment business. What about you?"

Banking investment business. Ridiculous. But who would reveal drug dealer to a potential bed bunny?

"Why don't you take a guess?", I suggest.

"Oh, you like little games?"

"Absolutely", I claim, which couldn't be further from the truth.

"Alright…you look smart…maybe a doctor?"

"Flattering, but no", I laugh.

"A secretary?"

"Also a no."

"A dancer. You'd have the body."

I laugh again, holding back the blush. The confident Mary I am playing right now wouldn't blush because of compliments.

"Nice guess, but wrong again. You know what, I will whisper it into your ear", I declare.

This is the moment. Thankfully he likes my suggestion and bends down to me, a smile playing around his lips. My heart starts to race but I swallow down the doubts and place one hand on his cheek with a charming smile while I pull my head closer to his until my lips are only inches away from his ear. He must feel my breath on his neck.

Then I slide my fingers up until they touch his temple and I let the power flow.

This is no gentle intrusion. It's heavy and fast with only one aim: to get my results quickly before he recovers and pushes me out of his head.

 _As I close my eyes many pictures rush by me. Only a few of them stick out. And some shreds of conversations._

" _The hospital? Isn't that too risky?", asks Brody's voice while he looks into Mike's smirking face. Then I catch a glance of the memory of Beacon Hills hospital._

" _On 23_ _rd_ _", answers Mike confidently. "The whole place will be chaos…and death!"_

" _And you promise to get me some of those pills out of there?"_

" _Have I ever broken a promise?"_

That's all I need to hear.


	25. Chapter 25: Sanity

Chapter 25

The conversation on the way back got pretty tough. And longish. And exhausting. In short version, that's how it went:

Scott: You mean tomorrow? He's going for the hospital in less than 24 hours?

Me: Yes. That's what I said. Twice, actually.

Isaac: But why would he go for the hospital?

Me: Obvious, isn't it? A lot of people there who are weakened and hurt. Oh, and Melissa. He wants to hurt me, remember?

Stiles: Not only Melissa…

Me: What are you talking about?

Stiles: My Dad and Parrish will be there, too. A prisoner needs surgery and they have to be present 24/7.

Me: Great. This is just great. It's gonna be a feast for him.

Isaac: What are we gonna do about it?

Scott: Well…we need to stop him somehow. At least now we know what he's up to. We just need a…plan.

*General groaning*

Stiles: I am really getting tired of our genius plans!

Scott: I know…but if we all stick together, we can end this tomorrow.

Isaac: Yeah, but does anyone really know how to stop this guy?

Me: We will find a way. Tomorrow. Right now I am full with wine and Gin tonic and all I want is my bed.

*Mumbling of agreement*

Now we are back at home and the first thing I am doing is walking into my room to get rid of this stupid dress that really starts to tweak. As I close the door behind me I take a deep breath. Too much going on in the last few days. Too much to deal with. And there I just wanted a calm and normal life. So much for that.

I rub my tired eyes before I zip the dress open with clumsy fingers to throw it on the bed and replace it with my favourite sweatpants and top. Now I feel a lot more like myself again. The only things missing are a good TV-show and chocolate, but as I take a look at the watch I realize that it's definitely too late for that.

Nevertheless, I am definitely too pumped to go to sleep already and therefore nearly relieved as someone knocks on my door.

"Come in!", I bid and am not really surprised that it's Isaac who does. Who else? What does astound me is the afflicted expression on his face as he closes the door and turns to me.

"What's wrong?", I ask him immediately, trying not to be too concerned.

He sighs. "You can't do this to me"

"What are you talking about?" I frown at him in confusion.

Isaac doesn't answer immediately. Instead he rubs his eyes, then scratches his neck and keeps quiet for a moment, probably to gather his thoughts. Then it spills out of him: "You can't do this to me. You can't just get yourself into those dangerous situations, though I know very well that you can protect yourself. And you can't just take on such dresses and look so sexy and incredible and be so smart while you go for a flirt. Which I am not allowed to."

I really struggle to get what he tries to say. "Why are you not allowed to flirt?"

"With you. Because you said so. After the dance."

Oh, right. That. We still haven't talked about that and I just wanted to forget it so badly that I totally ignored the fact that I have to apologize.

"Ehm, yeah. I might have overreacted a tiny little bit after the dance. Sometimes I become all selfish and forget that others also have to carry their little burdens. I'm sorry for that."

He finally stops the scratching and blinks at me. "So…we are fine, then?"

"Yes, we are. And if you think that it's so unfair, I can take on the dress again. Though I really don't want to because it's not very comfortable", I suggest with a little smile.

His whole beautiful face lightens up at once and he comes a step closer, shaking his head. "You don't have to. You look awesome and sexy no matter what you are wearing."

I feel the blush creeping into my cheeks but I don't supress it. Why not let him see how I feel? I want him to see. I want to be honest.

Therefore I overcome the last distance between us and put my hand on his chest, looking up at him.

"See. Now you are flirting with me."

"Yeah…probably not as good as you with him, though. It sounded pretty convincing", Isaac mumbles while he carefully places his hands on my hips.

"Now imagine how convincing I can be if I really mean it", I tease him with a wink, which makes a smirk appear on his pink lips.

"Wanna show me?"

"Well…I could tell you how amazing and attractive I find you, but why don't you just listen to my heartbeat? It tells you everything you need to know."

He concentrates for a moment and does so. And as he notices my very heightened pulse, he beams. That's when I finally wrap my arms around his neck, pull him down towards me, stand on my tiptoes and kiss him.

This is the kiss I have been waiting for. It starts softly and carefully. Almost shy. But not after long it turns more passionately. I burry my hands in his curls and he presses me against his body, opening his lips with a moan. A hunger evolves inside of me that I had no idea was waiting there the whole time. It purrs satisfied as Isaac lifts me up with a quick movement and I wrap my legs around his hips. Without breaking contact he carries me to the bed and we fall onto it.

I chuckle lightly as we both break away to catch our breaths. His face is only inches from mine and his blue eyes seem even brighter right now. Not to forget the sassy sparkle that they display. I could get lost in those eyes forever.

"You are making me crazy", Isaac admits, his voice a bit hoarse before he bends down to softly kiss my neck.

I close my eyes and just enjoy his touches with a bright smile on my lips before he closes them again with his. They are working in perfect unison, as if we have kissed each other for years now. My hands automatically wander under his shirt to stroke his back which gives him goosebumps. I grin under his kisses and can feel that he does the same. I haven't felt so incredibly happy in a very long time. My recklessness even goes so far that I just grip his shirt and pull it over his head. He doesn't object. Instead his kisses become even more urgent now and his hands make their way towards my thighs.

In this moment someone else knocks on my door and makes us both freeze. Unwillingly I pull back but before I can speak up the intruder, Scott, yells: "Keep it down, alright!"

We both crack a grin at the same time and Isaac finally rolls off of me. Thankfully, though, he doesn't let go off me but firmly places his hands on my hip to pull me closer. I burry my head on his bared breast with a satisfied sigh and close my eyes to fully enjoy his warmth and comfort for a moment. While I do so, his fingers start to stroke my hair softly and as I look up at him again, I catch his loving gaze.

"You know, I think Lydia would say something like: finally", I admit with a grin.

He chuckles and presses a kiss onto my forehead. Then we fall silent for a moment. The fatigue starts to take me over, which is long overdue, and I just feel so comfortable in Isaac's arms that I allow my body to have some rest at last.

Before I fall asleep, though, he raises his voice again.

"What do you think about tomorrow?", he mumbles with a frown, the concern returning into his eyes.

I smile at him reassuringly and softly sooth the crinkles on his forehead with my fingertips.

"I have no idea what awaits us", I admit. "We won't be able to make a real plan this time."

"Shouldn't we just warn Melissa? To stay here?"

I sigh. "Scott will warn her, I guess. But that won't change anything. She will go to the hospital anyway. Just to protect her patients and help. That's how she is."

"We will protect her", Isaac says with an amount of conviction that I envy.

"That's what we do…", I mumble. "Protect the people we love."

He nods slowly, then he bends down to kiss me once more before we get ourselves in the perfect spooning position to finally sleep. I should have been nervous and anxious. I should have dreaded the day to come. Instead the foresight of waking up next to him makes everything else seem less bad and dark. He's my anchor to sanity.


	26. Chapter 26: Hell

It's weird how fast school goes by if something comes up that you are dreading. It feel like only fifteen minutes passed as the bell rings after our last class. Me and Isaac exchange a short look before we cram our stuff together and shoulder our bags. Then we leave the room to meet the others at the parking lot and I am pretty thankful that he softly puts an arm on my back to comfort me. He can probably smell how nervous and fearful I am.

Scott, Stiles, Kira, Lydia, Malia and Liam are already waiting at the jeep as we arrive. All of them wear serious faces and not even Stiles makes a sarcastic comment as he observes how Isaac softly takes my hand to not break the connection between the two of us. Usually I am not one to display any affection publicly but today is an exception. I just need him.

"Here we are. What are we gonna do now?", Stiles finally asks into the silence as everybody does nothing despite from looking at each other.

Automatically we all turn to Scott. The alpha sighs.

"I've talked to Mom. She can't really do anything. She tries to get as much dangerous objects out of the rooms as possible but that's all she can do. Stiles' Dad is there and he and Parrish keep their eyes open for anything suspicious. I suggest we go there and do the same. We don't really have a choice, right?"

He looks into the circle as if he hopes that somebody of us comes up with a better idea. Well, I am out of ideas. We can't deal with him before he reaches the hospital because he has this freaking ability of becoming invisible. We can't lock him out of the patients' minds because I have no idea how to do that or if that's even possible. We can just hope that he appears somewhere and that we have enough strength combined to beat him. In which way ever. There is no plan. We have nothing.

And that's very frustrating.

"Let's do it, then. Better than standing here and waiting", Isaac finally says and we all nod, eager to follow his suggestion.

We split into two cars and drive to the hospital. Nobody talks. A tension rises between all of us that is nearly touchable. It almost feels like a bad foresight. Something is gonna happen. Definitely. I am just not sure yet if it will be good or bad. Or more like a greyish shade between that.

Melissa waits for us at the reception as our weird little group enters the awfully big building. She presses her lips together and looks at all of us with that hint of concern. Great, that makes nine of us.

"Everything's quiet", she informs us, shoving us into an empty room and carefully closing the door behind us. "What's the plan?"

She raises her eyebrows in expectation but I have to disappoint her. "We have no plan."

"What do you mean? You always have a plan", she says, shooting her son a questioning look.

"Well…this time we don't. Mom, I have no idea what's gonna happen."

Melissa seems dumbfounded for a moment. Then she gets herself together and displays her usual strong demeanour that makes me feel like this woman can endure and overcome anything.

"Whatever it is, we are gonna deal with it. We'll keep everyone safe."

Then she splits us up and we wander off to monitor every single floor as good as possible. Me, Isaac and Stiles make ourselves comfortable in a little waiting room next to the elevator on the third floor that contains vending machines for coffee and chocolate bars. I buy myself one of each kind before I sit down and stare out of the window onto the hallway. I start to hate this hospital. A lot.

"Sooo…what has this prisoner your dad's watching done exactly?", Isaac asks in the attempt to make conversation.

Stiles looks up with raised eyebrows while I take a sip of coffee.

"Oh, he killed twenty people and kept their bodies in his basement."

I almost spill it out again. I cough loudly and stare at Stiles in disbelief.

"You are kidding, right?"

"No, for once I am totally serious. But it had nothing supernatural on it. I checked."

"Awesome…", I mumble, putting the hot liquid and the chocolate bar down with a disgusted face. Now my appetite is really gone and my stomach is fluttering from nervousness.

"He won't be a problem, Joe", Stiles promises me, patting my hand which is probably supposed to have a reassuring effect. "He will be unconscious for most of the night."

"Let's hope so…", I mumble darkly.

Isaac is a lot better in calming me than Stiles, though. Instead of awkwardly patting me he puts an arm around my shoulder and gives me that small smile that I love so much, his blue eyes drill into mine and make me feel a lot better by the second. How come he knows so well how to pull my strings already? Smartass.

After that we don't really speak anymore. Thankfully. We sit there, sometimes take a gulp or a bite and observe as much of our floor as possible in this position. It gets later. Very late. So late that fatigue sets in and Stiles' eyes fall shut regularly. Isaac invents his own little game of waking him up by poking him or making sudden noises near his ears. It could've been funny, and I do kind of chuckle sometimes, but this situation is far too tensed for a sincere laugh from me.

It's already long after midnight as finally something happens. And it's not just something. It's more like all of a sudden hell breaks loose.

It starts with a scream. The loud and piercing scream of a woman that makes me jump up from my seat and Stiles fall off his. As it stops it's creepily quiet for a second. And then everybody, seemingly the whole hospital, starts to shout.

"Come on", Isaac orders. Surprisingly enough he's the only one of us three who's able to keep a cool head while Stiles and me stare at each other in blank shock. He shoves us outside right as a patient stumbles out of the room next to ours and crashes against the wall.

We only realize that it has been on purpose as he starts to bang his head against it repeatedly, which makes awful cracking sounds. I am about to scream as Isaac rushes forward, swings his fist and punches him in his head. The man falls down on the ground unconsciously.

"No way he'll kill himself now", Isaac mumbles and waves us forward.

Stiles and I exchange another astounded look before we follow his order and step over the body.

In this moment, as we walk along the hallway and hurry towards the next room, I see him at the end of it and stop dead. There he stands. Mike. Fully relaxed and with a satisfied grin on his face while he winks at me. My blood runs cold. I catch a grip on Isaac's arm but that's not needed. He's already seen it too.

He's about to lunge at him. I feel his body tensing under my grip and hear the growl escaping his mouth while his eyes flash golden. But then we get interrupted by a crashing sound to our right. We turn around only to see a woman in her nightgown, holding a broken glass in her hand and dreamingly lifting it towards her throat.

"No!", I scream, which of course doesn't bother her.

"I'll take care of it. You follow him! Go!", Isaac shouts.

I wanna hold him back. I don't want to let go of him right now but the woman comes closer to death with every second and Mike already disappears towards the staircase. So I just press a quick kiss on his cheek, grab Stiles' arm instead of his and pull my friend through the hallway.

The screams all around us grow louder while we stumble forwards and they don't even stop at the staircase. As we break through the door on the fourth floor the next shock awaits us.

It's a horrific scene. At first I see Parrish, his eyes widened and his hands raised defensively. Then I discover Stiles' dad. He stands there, holding two guns. With one he's aiming at his deputy, with the other at his own head. Stiles makes a choking sound next to me.

"Help me, guys!", Parrish mumbles, taking a step back.

This time my brain works again and I react immediately. I squint my eyes and concentrate on the guns before I send out the well aimed energy field. It hits his hands and makes the weapons scatter on the floor. Without hesitation Stiles is at his father and tackles him down, using all his weight and strength. The Sheriff fights against that with all he has.

I am near to tears now. What should I do?!

"Joe, he ran up there", Jordan tells me, softly but still urgently. "He has her."

I blink at him in confusion.

"Who?"

"Melissa."

The air is pulled right of my lungs. No. No, no, no. This can't happen. Not this kind and gentle woman.

"Hey, listen to me: You can fight him!", Jordan carries on, grabbing my arms and making me look at him. "I know you can."

I slowly nod. It doesn't matter anyway. I have to try.

"Take care of the Sherriff", I mumble, shooting a look at Stiles and his dad still fighting on the floor.

Then I turn on my heels and run for the last staircase that leads to the roof.


	27. Chapter 27: Powerless

I run up the stair in full speed, gasping breathlessly while the lump in my throat grows and makes it even harder to inhale. As I push the door to the roof open, the cool night air feels like a wall that crashes into me. I don't mind, though. Instead I scan the place in panic until I find their figures at the other end of it. I also realize that he's not holding her or having any physical contact at all, which is not good. It means that Melissa is under his spell and not in control of herself.

Without thinking twice I lunge forward, stumble over cables and my own feet without noticing it, just wanting to reach them before he can harm her in any way. But his eyes are directed at me and his expression is relaxed while Melissa's eyes are empty and stare into nothingness. As I stop a few metres away from him, a small smile starts to play around his lips and his eyes sparkle mischievously. He so enjoys this situation and as I realize this, the pure hatred starts to bubble in my stomach that cuts every connection we ever shared in our past.

"Ah, hello, Joe. Finally we can talk!", he greets me, acting like this is a normal conversation, a random reunion in a café house.

I am not remotely willing to play this game with him.

"I don't want to talk", I say through clenched teeth, already filling my veins with my power and the heat. "You will let her go now. And you will stop this insanity."

"And if I don't?", he asks me with an arrogant laugh. "What will you do then? When will you finally accept that I am stronger than you, always a step ahead? You can't surprise me. You can't beat me."

"If you were stronger than me you would never do this. You would've realized that what happened back in Germany was nobody's fault, that it was inevitable. You would've decided to move on. But you didn't. Instead you went on this vengeful path that will lead to nothing and you know it!", I yell at him, seeming more strong and confident than I actually feel.

The corners of his mouth twitch for a moment. I found a painful point there but he's obviously not up for discussing this logically. Instead a flicker appears behind his eyes. A dangerous and crazy flicker.

"It will lead to me destroying you and that is all I want", he snaps. "Watching you despair and mourn like I did. Watching you realizing that you can't do anything about it and that you are powerless. I want you to feel what it's like!"

Before I can respond anything he suddenly turns towards Melissa, shooting her a meaningful look. And she turns around and steps towards to edge of the roof.

"No!", I scream, jumping forward to grab her, to hold her back but I crash against something solid. Like an invisible wall in the night. He shields me from her and as I push against the barrier, gasping, I realize that I can't break it.

"You mustn't hurt her, she has no role in this!", I exclaim desperately as she stops and sways dangerously from the wind. Only inches separate her from certain death now and she doesn't even seem to realize it.

"Oh, but she has!", Mike claims. The ugliest smile is plastered on his face and you just want to smack it from there, to punch him in his face until he's unable to say any more words. "You love her. And she will be the first that I will take from you and your little pack. The first hole in your heart that I will rip."

Melissa lifts her head, about to jump and my heart skips a beat.

That's when it dims on me that I can do something about it. I am a witch just like he's a warlock. I just have to use his ways against him.

I send out my thoughts, send them over the barrier and reach Melissa's mind just in time. Her confused mind. And with all my force I scream into her head, into every cell of her body: "Don't! Go back, now!"

And miraculously she does. She stumbles backwards with an irritated frown on her face, tumbles away from the edge. An angry shadow darkens Mike's eyes.

"Oh, my dear Joe. That was a huge mistake", he mumbles.

That's when our battle of minds starts. He presses against my thoughts with all his will, makes her go forward again. I hold against it, breathing hard and sending out all the power I have.

"No, Melissa! You are stronger than that, remember yourself, remember who you are!", I beg her silently. "Think about us, think about Scott!"

Sweat breaks on my forehead while we make her sway around like a helpless puppet that is not sure which direction is the right one. It's creepy and horrible and I can barely watch. But Scott's name triggers something in her, just like I hoped it would. All of a sudden she freezes and her eyes are no longer empty. Instead she frowns and lifts her head to look at me.

I smile, trembling but relieved.

"We are wasting time", Mike growls, his eyes switching between me and Melissa. He's obviously trying to decide something. Probably what to do now. As he makes his choice, the invisible barrier suddenly breaks. But I can't react fast enough, he's at me in no time and I gasp in shock and disbelief as I feel the needle stinging into my neck while his fingernails bury into my upper arm and his eyes widen in excitement, just inches away from mine.

Then he lets go of me and I fall to the ground. Whatever he gave me, it works instantly. My view gets foggy, my breathing heavy. I struggle to keep my eyes on him, to move my muscles and get up again but it won't work. He vanishes as everything becomes dark and as the last thing I hear are urgent shouts from very far away before the dullness engulfs me.

 _I am floating for a moment. Floating in nothingness. At least before the pictures start to evolve. I can't say if they are real or fake, if they are memories or shear dreams. But as I suddenly land on the street in front of Scott's house it seems sufficiently real to me. It's cold and damp and dark. I am shivering a bit and pulling my jacket closer around my body, wondering why I am out in the cold night. Shaking my head in confusion I approach the house with determined steps. That's until I find Scott at the porch and stop dead._

 _His eyes are weird. They are shining red but they are not confident or even dangerous. They are just sad. Deeply sad. The kind of sadness that makes my heart heavy. I want to go to him to comfort him, to ask him what's going on, as the first slash appears in his face. A deep cut that's bleeding like hell. I scream. I want to run to him, want to motivate him to do something and not just stand there and wait but I am unable to move. And the next cut appears and another one until he's covered in blood._

 _The worst part is that I can't do anything about it. He's dying and I can't even reach him, much less help him. I sink to my knees, sobbing, watching the life leaving his brown eyes. Leaving the eyes of someone I love like a brother._

 _In this moment the scenery changes. I'm still kneeling, only not on the street anymore. Now I am kneeling in grass, in front of the bleachers at the Lacrosse field. It's quiet for a moment until I find Lydia. She's not still like Scott before. She's already pretty bad hurt, trembling and crouching on the bleachers, trying to heave herself up without having the strength to do so. A shadow leans over her, something undefinable. It grabs her neck and lifts her up in a swift movement, only to crash her against the seats once more. She screams. A piercing banshee scream predicting her very own death. But there's no one here who could hear her except for me and I can't do anything. All I can do is watch and sob and mumble her name while being in excruciating pain, over and over again. In the end her eyes find mine. They carry the same sadness as Scott's did before. And there is something else: disappointment._

 _As she closes them for the last time everything around me changes once again._

 _Now I am back in the closet at school. And Isaac is with me. He gives me his warmest smile and softly grabs my arm to pull me up before he wraps his arms around me and embraces me tightly. My body is still trembling, my heartbeat is still too fast, but his touch and his smell calm me somewhat._

" _I had the most awful dream", I mumble at his chest._

 _He softly presses a kiss onto my head._

" _Don't worry. Nothing happens without a reason."_

 _This is so untypical for him to say and so illogical that I pull away and stare at him, taken aback. His blue eyes never leave me out of their sight._

" _What do you mean?"_

 _That's when the knife appears in his hand. He gives me one last, sad smile before he pushes it into his stomach with all his strength._

" _No! NO, ISAAC, STOP IT!", I scream. I want to lunge forward, I want to punch the knife out of his hand but suddenly I can't move again._

 _And he stabs himself. Again and again. Until blood fills his mouth and stenches his white shirt._

" _NO, ISAAC!"_

 _I yell his name while a pain overcomes me that I've never felt before. And inner torture that beats every physical pain I have ever experienced. Tears fill my eyes, break their way and run down my cheeks while I am sobbing like a maniac. Screaming. I can't stop screaming as the man I love dies in front of my eyes._

 _And there's nothing I can do about it. I'm powerless._


	28. Chapter 28: The Struggle

They find Joe on the roof in Melissa's arms. She's holding her tightly, wearing a desperate expression while Joe's body is shivering heavily. Scott, Stiles and Isaac lunge forward.

"What happened?", Isaac asks, deeply concerned while he observes Joe's face. It's more like a painful grimace than her usual beautiful face. Sweat breaks on her forehead and she presses her lips together, paling with every second. He takes her hand and presses it softly but she doesn't react.

"I don't know. He must've injected her with something", Melissa answers, checking her pulse once again. Her heart is racing.

"Is she gonna die?", Isaac asks weakly, looking at her with an amount of hurt and fear in his eyes that it hits everybody else around him.

Melissa returns his look for a moment, then she puts on a determined expression and shakes her head. "No. But there is nothing in this hospital that will help her. We need to get her to Deaton. Quickly."

Isaac lifts Joe up in no time and already makes his way to the door. The others follow without intervening. She's still trembling and suddenly starts to mumble something. Isaac leans over her to understand her words but that's not really necessary because now she starts screaming.

"Joe, calm down. We're here, everything is gonna be fine", Scott says but she obviously can't hear him. Sobs escape her mouth. Heartbreaking sobs that gives all of them goosebumps. Isaac gets a little bit faster, now almost running through the chaotic hallways of the hospital where Sheriff Stilinski and Parrish are still struggling to get things under control. The good thing is that nobody notices the little rescue party.

As they break out into the night air Joe's body has gone still again. She looks worse, though. Her breathing becomes irregularly and tears glisten on her cheeks.

"Get her into the jeep!", Stiles orders and he doesn't need to tell Isaac twice. He climbs onto the back seat, having Joe's unconscious body on his lap. As Stiles starts the engine, he presses her against his chest, observing her in desperation. It's almost like he can feel her pain.

"I think she's hallucinating", he informs Melissa as she starts the mumbling again. Melissa checks the heat on her forehead and listens intensely.

"She's saying something about Lydia."

Isaac softly brushes her hair out of her face and caresses her cheek lovingly. "She's saying her name", he states. "And she's crying again. That son of a bitch, what has he done to her?"

"I've never seen something like this", Melissa mumbles. Her frown gets deeper by the second. "But she's a tough one. She's gonna get through this, Isaac, I promise."

Isaac nods heavily, pressing his lips together. He wants to believe it. The other option is unbearable.

"Stay with me…", he pleads as the car shoots through the night. "He's not gonna win, remember? You are stronger than him."

In this moment Stiles' pulls into the vet clinic's driveway in incredible speed and parks the car with squeaking tires. Melissa jumps out of the car and holds the door open for Isaac. They run to the front door, Scott hammering against it. Thankfully enough Deaton is there. He opens with a bewildered expression that immediately changes into concern as he discovers Joe's body.

"Get her on the table", he says without thinking twice. Isaac stumbles into the building and into the doctor's office, softly bedding her on the table. Deaton is there in no time to observe her.

"What happened?"

"Injection. She started hallucinating right away", Melissa explains.

"Can you do something about it?", Isaac asks, tired of those conversation and tired of seeing her like this.

Deaton checks her pulse and then the spot on her neck where she got attacked. His expression is not very hopeful and makes Isaac's heart skip a beat in panic.

"I'm not sure if I can…", Deaton says. "I could give her something to calm her but then that could make it far worse if it reacts with the other injection."

"So what? We just gonna let her die?", Isaac questions hysterically.

In this moment Joe's body makes a sudden jump. Her expression changes from desperate and anxious to peaceful, even somewhat happy. Isaac freezes and stares at her.

"I had the most awful dream", she mumbles, almost too softly to hear. The others exchange confused looks but Isaac takes her hand in his and gets on his knees to be closer.

"Joe, it's okay. You just need to wake up", he demands urgently.

She doesn't. Instead, a frown appears on her forehead. "What do you mean?"

"I'll explain it to you. Just wake up!"

"No! NO, ISAAC, STOP IT!"

He breaks away from her but that doesn't change anything. Joe is throwing herself around on the table, screaming, sobbing, gasping for air.

"What's happening?", Isaac asks.

"She must see something with you. Talk to her. Calm her!", Melissa retorts.

Isaac grabs her arms to hold her down. Joe keeps on screaming and fighting against his grip but he doesn't let go.

"Joe, I'm here. I'm here and I am not doing anything, it's all in your head. It's not real, I swear. It's never gonna be real!", he mumbles into her ear.

Joe moans, turns her head around in utter agony. Isaac throws an uncertain look into the round but Stiles' encourages him to keep going. They are all worried sick, their expressions deadly serious and their faces pale. Scott helps Isaac to hold her on the table now so Isaac has the opportunity to stroke her hair out of her face.

"We are all here", he repeats. "We are not going anywhere. Nobody is leaving you, nobody is getting hurt. Please, Joe! Come back. Just come back to me. I am not gonna leave, I promise."

At first the change is almost unnoticeable. But after a while they all realize that her lashing out lessens until her body stays still. She's not screaming anymore, she's not panting or moaning or breathing too hard.

Isaac lets go of her and takes a step back, staring at her. Nobody moves for a second. Then Melissa steps forward to check her pulse once again. With a relieved sigh she closes her eyes.

"Her heartrate is normal. I think she's gonna be fine."

"But she's not waking up!", Isaac exclaims.

"Her body needs to recover from the shock", Deaton explains softly, putting an arm on his shoulder. "It will take a while. But she will wake up as soon as her system is ready."

Isaac pushes out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Pure relief washes over him. She's gonna be okay. Joe's gonna be okay. For a moment there he was certain that he would lose her, would lose another girl he loved and the pain was almost overwhelming. But it's not gonna happen.

"I think we should give her some rest", Melissa says, takes Scott's arm and pulls him and Stiles out of the room. Isaac is not going anywhere, though. He pushes a chair next to the table and sinks down at it, determined to stay on her side until she opens her eyes.

 **Joe's PoV**

As I open my eyes every muscle in my body is hurting. I'm absolutely confused for a second. Everything around me seems foggy. I inhale desperately and try to push myself up to find out where I am. But a soft arm prevents that. It lands on my shoulder and softly pulls me back.

"The others say you have to rest", he tells me apologetically.

I snap my head around and there he sits. Next to me. Looking awfully tired and beaten but smiling. And he's not hurt. There is no blood, not a trace of it. His face is as beautiful and unharmed as before. As I realize that, I feel those stupid tears breaking their way.

"What happened?", I ask hoarsely. My throat is dry and it hurts, like everything else.

Isaac intertwines his fingers with mine and sighs. "He injected you with something. And then you fainted and started to see things. We couldn't really do anything but to take you out of there and talk to you. You calmed down eventually, but seriously…it didn't look so well at first."

The pain in his eyes nearly kills me. I guess it wasn't just me who thought the other one was dying. I press my lips together and squeeze his hand.

"I'm so sorry that I scared you", I mumble.

"It's not your fault."

"But it is. I couldn't stop him. And now he knows everything."

He looks up with a frown. "What do you mean?"

"Well, he obviously didn't do this just to shock me", I retort weakly. "What I saw…those were my worst fears, Isaac. He laid my soul bare and I'm pretty sure that he was connected to me the whole time."

"So now he knows", Isaac states. I bite my lower lip and nod. I am quite certain about it. And I can't have it. He knows about Isaac. It won't take long until he'll make a move on him. I need a plan. Quickly.

"It's okay, Joe. We'll handle this. We handle everything", he assures me. I don't reject because I caused him enough pain already. And as he leans over me now to softly kiss me, I return it gladly and with as much passion I can muster while being so exhausted.


	29. Chapter 29: Alone

My body recovers fast. The only thing that stays is the certain knowledge that Scott, Lydia and Isaac are in more danger than ever before. I can leave the clinic the next day. I only have to rest in my bed for one day while the others are at school before Isaac keeps me company. But the whole time I try to come up with a plan, with a solution. If I learned anything the last few hours, it is that I can't lose them. None of them. They're my weakness.

They got drawn into this just because of me and that makes me feel awfully guilty. It's not their history, not their problem, but they would never wanna hear me say that, so I keep my mouth shut. I just have to find an own way that will totally keep them out and safe. And right now I see only one possibility to do that. It's a horrible possibility, it's embarrassing and I demand far too much from a certain person. But it's to safe Isaac. I would do everything for Isaac, which is slightly scary and amazing at the same time.

So I make a call without telling them. And I act like I am totally fine, like nothing is wrong with me at all. I even go to school with a smile on my face.

Isaac approaches me as I get my stuff out of my locker ( this time missing my locker buddy ) and my smile turns a little more sincere at his sight.

"How do you feel?", he asks me, leaning on Stiles' locker and observing me closely.

I roll my eyes at him, just to make clear that he is totally exaggerating with all this concern. "I'm fine, Isaac. I won't freak out the next moment, don't worry."

"You didn't see yourself", he retorts and I have no answer to that. I probably looked really bad and I can't blame him.

In this moment he lifts his head a bit to look at something behind my back. I notice a glint of mischief in his eyes and am about to turn around to find out what makes him react like this. But before I can he suddenly cups my face, leans down and kisses me passionately in front of all those people.

I forget about them pretty quickly, to be honest, it just always erases my whole thinking whenever his lips touch mine. I kiss him back with everything I have, eager to show him how much he actually means to me before it's too late.

As we break apart I feel my cheeks turn red and the stares of some pupils upon me. Then I realize that Thomas' eyes are one of the many pairs that saw us kiss. And I understand.

Isaac grins brightly and I can't supress one myself.

"You just had to do this, huh?"

"Now he knows that you belong to me", he retorts, very satisfied, while Thomas frowns and takes flight.

"Easy, tiger", I warn him playfully. "I need to go to class now. I'll see you later."

He nods and flashes me another smile before we head into different directions. Seeing him later…that's all that I can hope for.

I can't concentrate on any of my classes. Of course not. All the time I expect Mike to show up and destroy my life which is slightly distracting. He doesn't, though. He is probably waiting, enjoying the torture that gives me. I grow angrier at him steadily.

The others keep an eye on me. Thy try to do this secretly but I notice it anyway. Lydia takes her role particularly serious. I am perfectly aware of the fact that she doesn't have many classes anymore. However, she's around almost every time that I am changing rooms. It's quite unnerving.

"I think we should have a girls night tonight!", she even suggests at the end of school.

I throw her an inquiring look that she returns with an extra innocent expression that absolutely can't fool me.

"What exactly are you worried about? That I will get hurt, that I will run away or that I will do something stupid in general?"

"I guess all these things", she admits. "We are just worried about you, Joe."

"I don't need a bodyguard, Lyd. I can take care of myself", I remind her stubbornly. Don't they understand that every minute I spend with them makes them an even more profitable target?

But Lydia doesn't flinch. Of course not, it's Lydia. She folds her arms in front of her chest, purses her lips and mumbles gravely. "I know that, Joe. But maybe you need a friend. We all do sometimes."

I swallow hard. The thing is that she's absolutely right and I am not happy about it. I have always been so good at dealing with stuff on my own and suddenly this has become the most horrible thing for me. They've changed me and now we all have to live with the consequences.

But tonight won't be the night that the decision will be made. At least that's what I hope for because my plan can only start tomorrow. And I don't wanna be alone. And I can't spend the whole day with Isaac again because then I threaten to spill something, that's just his effect on me. Nothing speaks against doing this, especially because I don't know how many more conversations I'll lead with Lydia.

Therefore I sigh and give in. "Alright. But I have to visit the Sherrif's station with Stiles first, his dad wants to see me. Afterwards we can do whatever you want."

A small smile tugs on Lydia's lips and she nods. As satisfied as Isaac a few hours ago.

Stiles waits for me at his jeep and we drive to the Sheriff's station together, almost in total silence, which is so unusual with Stiles. I know he doesn't wanna push me and I am thankful for that, but at the same time I wish I could tell him. He's the smart one, he'd find a way to help me, he'd know what to do. But I swore to myself that I would get none of them involved and I am holding on to this. I won't let my guard down.

His dad and Parrish wait for us in his dad's office. They bid us to sit in front of the desk and I do so with mixed feelings. I know that this is no interrogation but I am also not keen on getting reminded of the night in the hospital. Still, it has to be done.

"Are there any news?", Stiles asks as soon as Parrish closed the door.

The frown on his father's face makes me dread the answer.

"Today, Gaby Astin died on her wounds. That makes five victims in total. Five victims and we are struggling to explain how this could happen. Mind controlling teenager isn't really something that the authorities will appreciate", he replies.

"But you're still searching for him?", Stiles presses on, leaning forward in his chair.

The sheriff shoots him a dark look. "Of course we are! But we have no lead, no idea where to start! So unless you can give us some information that could help us, we are pretty much out of possibilities."

Well, there he states the obvious, something I've already realized shortly after I woke up from my hallucinations. His focus turns back to me now and his eyes feel inquiring upon me. Not suspicious, but like he knows that I'm hiding something. Damnit. I lower my gaze onto some spot on his desk and try to look as desperate and innocent as possible.

"Joe, is there anything you forgot to tell us about? Anything he mentioned on that roof that could give us a lead on him?"

I shake my head. I've already told them about the conversation I had with him, there is nothing to add.

Sheriff Stilinski sighs and runs his fingers through his short hair. Just like his son does so frequently.

"I guess that means that we are out of plans."

Out of good plans, yes. Out of plans that are save and in the right mind. Out of plans that they would consider. But I'm over them. I am already a step ahead. And while they're sinking into a desperate and depressed mood, I am becoming more and more reckless and determined. Those people are good. They're too good to lose this war that they haven't even started.

So I guess it's upon me to handle this.


End file.
